


Balance is the Key

by Herbgerblin (TheEverlastingRandom)



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Trans Character, College AU, Gen, Some Plot, lydia and edward are back on their bullshit, no main character deaths we bring back deceased characters like men, the ipre live in a house together and shenanigans ensue, tres horny boys have a garage band and it sucks, yes there's magic but it's downplayed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2020-09-07 11:22:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 93,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20308660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEverlastingRandom/pseuds/Herbgerblin
Summary: I'm making minor edits to this fic right now, so if you happen to notice some paragraph changes, congrats! You've got very keen eyes.





	1. For the Band

Taako slams his locker closed.

“If I catch you rifling through my closet again—” He points at the kitsch, cherub-print shirt included in Lup’s black miniskirt and studded boots ensemble. “—I’m eating those cookies that you have hidden in the vent shaft.”

“Number one,” Lup says, swatting his hand away. “It’s a shared closet. Two, I wear it better. And three, how _the fuck_ did you find those?”

“Twin powers,” Taako says, like that’s enough of an explanation. "Also, I have the better taste." He gestures at his own outfit of a houndstooth jacket over a white hoodie and loose, sky blue pants. “And we DO NOT. SHARE. A CLOSET.”

“If it fits!” Lup says, dipping to avoid a swing of her brother’s arm. She straightens and jabs back with her elbow. They're play fighting, despite both being college age and supposedly better than this. “Also, were’t you supposed to congratulate me? I worked really hard for concertmaster.”

“Who had to listen to you play into the late as fuck hours of the night to get this position?” Taako asks. He taps his chin, mockingly. “Oh wait? T’was _ I _ who had to!” 

Lup turns away from him and silently puts her violin case in a locker of her own. They are both fortunate enough to have been released from orchestra practice early, having the benefit of packing up their things before the rest of the classes dismiss. Lup continues to give her brother the silent treatment as she grabs her backpack.

“_Lulu,_” Taako says, after a beat. She doesn't turn to him. He leans forward, and his voice grows soft. “You deserved it, truthfully. And we absolutely need a strong, competent woman to carry us through this semester if we have any hope of sounding good. Gods forbid we perform and fucking _Greg Grimaldis_ tries to lead a concerto, right?”

Lup gives her brother a smile. “Thanks, Ko." She pokes his side and he makes a disdainful noise.

The class period officially ends, and students start emptying out of classrooms. Taako feels his phone buzz in his back pocket, and his attention slides away from his sister. He sees a text message from someone in particular and opens it immediately. It's a single photo—a selfie of a young man in a well tailored suit, sitting somewhere out in the campus quad. His face ins't visible, because the camera is angled so that a small black and white bird can be seen resting on the young man's lap, a magpie.

A second later, another message gets sent:

****BoneDaddy: **I made a friend today :>**

Taako swings his locker door open to poorly obscure the dopey grin that flits onto his face. He's been officially unofficially dating Kravitz since the beginning of last semester. Kravitz, who's nearly finished grad school. Kravitz, who's seriousness demeanor and healthy gothic aesthetic, has earned the reputation of the most intimidating TA on campus.

Kravitz, who is a goof and sends Taako photos of every corvid he comes across, because he's a nerd on top of that. (He is also ridiculously gorgeous. It should be illegal, really.) 

“Taako?...Koko.....?” Lup waves a hand in front of her brother’s eyes. “Faerun to Taako? Are we still here?”

“What...” Taako says dumbly, remembering himself.

Lup's gestures at his phone, the photo still open. “It’s rude to not formally introduce your sister to your boyfriend, dingus.”

“To introduce you to someone you already know, goofus?” Taako closes his locker again, hoping that the warmth in his face isn't showing up on his skin. “And we’ve only been on like, one solid date.”

“That you have _told_ me about,” Lup says, reaches into her bag and pulling out a sticky note. She slaps it on Taako’s locker with force. It reads, in quickly scribbled handwriting: _ “Lulu, going to get snacks from fantasy costco, yeet. -T.” _

Taako snatches the note. “And? I went and bought snacks.”

Lup pulls out many more sticky notes, all with various messages from Taako in similar. She raises a brow. “Last weekend, you bought snacks alright. You went and bought snacks for you and Bones to sneak into the cinema. Because you were on a date, and you didn’t tell me!”

“You have no evidence of that!” Taako claims.

“Twist plot, motherfucker!” she retorts. “Barold and I went to see the same movie! We saw you two sneak into the theater after the previews ended! How many movies did you dip into after the first one?”

“YOU WERE SPYING!?” Taako shouts, betraying himself.

“No, dipshit. We have same movie taste. We had been talking about it for weeks! If you weren't dense as all fuck and tried to be sneaky about the whole thing, we could’ve planned this out and made it a double date.”

Taako bites his lip. He’s not keen on having people get involved in his romantic life. The Boner Squad have yet to know. But he’s sure he’ll never hear the end of it when they do. The only reason Lup had been privy to it was by snatching up his phone one day and noticing a DM about a potential hangout (followed by a string of very cute emojis). 

But...yeah. Kravitz had essentially landlocked himself into the cove that was Taako’s fucking heart. Krav being around him led to being around Barry and Lup enough to like them. They were probably the three most likeable goth weirdos around. To be honest, a double date sounded...lowkey...kinda fun.

“Why didn’t you confront us then, or when the movie ended?” Taako asks.

“We...uh....” The smug look dissipates from Lup’s face and is replaced with a soft tinge of red on her cheeks. She rubs the back of her neck. Taako’s eyes open wide.

“Holy shit—YOU TWO WERE MAKING OUT!” He shouts with glee. “FUCKING FRENCHING BARR—mbbmmff!” Lup clamps both her hands over his mouth, her face and ears burning red.

“Shut the fuck up—you fucking—I’ll shove you into this locker, right now!”

As they tussle, a second pair of elves stroll up, pausing at the sight before them. Lup and Taako straighten up immediately. Lup brushes her hand over her face to hide her angry blush. Taako snickers for a moment, but then that drops once he notices who has approached them.

Edward grins at them, with Lydia matching with grin of her own. They are both eyesores, with their painfully yellow sweaters and white trousers. But they're also sores in personality, being the (self proclaimed but never affirmed) most popular pair of people at the University of Eversummer, elf and non-elf alike.

Lydia speaks first. “Taako. Lup."

“Edward. Lydia,” Taako responds. His voice is flatter than day old soda. 

Edward flashes the world’s flashiest grin. “Congratulations! You’re invited!” 

“Not interested,” Lup replies. The smiles dip on the Vogue twins’ faces.

“Y—you don’t even know what you’re being invited to,” Edward says, a little less sing-song. 

“And I repeat—Not interested.”

“Oh? That’s too _bad_,” Lydia croons, tapping her chin. “What will everyone think when the _ second _ most popular elf twins on campus don’t show up to the biggest autumn gala this side of Faerun?”

Taako and Lup exchange glances. They’re both well aware of the amount of shit that Lydia and Edward are full of. Heaping, landfill amounts. But at the same time, they are both aware of the amount of shit they themselves are full of. Lup looks at Lydia.

“I’ll bite. Spill.”

Lydia says, “Saturday after next. The Neverwinter Theater Rooftop. There’s going to be catering, dancing, and a live performance from a local band. Sound fun?”

“Are you two are putting this on?” Taako asks, speaking for the first time in the conversation. 

“It'll be the efforts of multiple on-campus organizations,” Edward chirps. “But it is an event exclusively for elves.” Taako and Lup roll their eyes at the same time. Taako grabs his bag. Taako’s down for any party, but not when he can’t bring his #1 and #2 along as backup. And he definitely doesn’t have time for fraternizing elven bullshit. Neither does Lup, who falls into strep with him.

“Think about it as a cultural festival for elves,” Lydia says, putting up a hand to stop them. “High elves, wood, drow, wild, you name it!”

“No other races are allowed to come?” Lup asks.

“Only on strict invitation,” Edward says. He reaches into his satchel and pulls out two envelopes, waving they delicately. “These are your tickets.”

Lup eyes the letters suspiciously. She doesn’t trust like that. “I have plans that weekend.”

“Same here,” Taako says. He does have plans, but a date with Krav could easily fill that slot of time.

“You two are hardly any fun,” Lydia says, her snark finally showing. She takes the two envelopes from her brother and holds them out to the twins. “The seals on these things aren’t fucking cursed, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Taako grabs the envelopes and eyes them curiously. They’re canary yellow, sealed with dark blue wax. He tucks them under his arm and shifts on his hip.

“Consider your little shindig...considered,” he declares. The Vogue twins take this as the best possible response they’re going to get. They straighten up and spin on their heels in a smooth, synchronized fashion.

“Toodles!” They both call, over their shoulders.

“Toodles,” Taako says, in mocking imitation. As soon as they turn the corner, he makes a gagging sound.

“Do they _practice_ that shit?" Lup asks, already reaching for the envelopes. "Allow me to scorch ‘em. I can use their bullshit essence to test a new combusting spell I’m working on.”

“Hold on a sec,” Taako says. He rips open one of the letters and pulls out slightly smaller envelope, a ticket to the Neverwinter Theater, and a brightly colored paper wristband. Inside is also a coupon for a free medium pizza with an order of garlic bread from Fantasy Papa Johns. He really hates their guts, but the Vogue twins are expert partiers. Taako can’t help but respect masters of the craft. “Fuck, if those two bastards don’t know how to sell me on a good deal.”

“We’re not actually going to that stupid elf sorority social, are we?” Lup asks. “Especially not with those two involved. They’re like, the actual worst.”

“I dunno,” Taako says. He opens his locker and slides the two envelopes in. “I’m not crazy about it either. But Taako’s all about maintaining top billing in party scenes, so cha-boy may just crash in for the hell of it.”

Lup laughs at that and tugs on his arm. “Whatever, dingus. Let’s go home.”

* * *

Home is a half-hour long subway ride from the college campus to a shambly neighborhood that has no right to call itself a cul-de sac. Home is grabbing snacks from a fantasy costco right by the subway station, and then taking a ten minute walk to a large, brightly painted bungalow. Home is opening the door to YOUR HOUSE and seeing your DUMBASS FRIENDS slouched all over the couches and playing Fantasy Mario Kart as if they own the place. Well, they sort of do. They share the rent anyway.

Magnus’ eyes are glued keenly to the screen, his body is completely stone, save for his hands—which move the fantasy switch controller with meticulous precision. Merle sits beside him. His hands are less coordinated, which means he’s losing. The dwarf stifles a groan as Magnus laps him yet again. 

Lucretia sits comfortably in a brightly patterned armchair, flipping through an arcane sciences newsletter. She looks up as Taako and Lup enter the house and kick off their shoes. 

“Welcome back,” She says cheerfully, before gesturing at Magnus and Merle. “I tried to vacuum earlier, but then these two came in and tracked mud!” She waves the newsletter in front of the tv screen, just to mess with them.

“I’m on the last lap!” Magnus yells, craning his head.

“Not if I can help it!” Merle says excitedly, taking the opportunity to finally sabotage his opponent.

"Hey guys," Lup says, avoiding the small trail of mud that Lucretia is referring to. Taako makes a beeline straight to the kitchen to fire up dinner.

The living room, kitchen, and dining room make up one large common area, carefully sectioned off with built in-islands, large tables, and comfy chairs. A staircase near the front door leads to the upstairs bedrooms and down to the basement floor. It’s a surprisingly comfortable house for so many people to be living in it at once.

“Where’s Barry?” Lup asks, squeezing herself between Merle and Magnus on the couch.

“The science center,” Lucretia responds, her eyes floating back to the headline she was reading. “He needed to borrow a book from me. Said that someone had made a mistake in their senior thesis, but they might have actually discovered a new fungal species.”

“Oh shit,” Lup said. She pulled out her phone. “I’m gonna ask him to send me pics.”

“What did I say I about talking about gross science shit when I’m trying to make food!” Taako yells, peeking back at her. Lup blows a raspberry in his direction, before eagerly typing away at her phone.

Taako pulls out some bell peppers and rinses them gingerly in the sink. His phone _ pings _ on the kitchen counter. He gives it a scant look, having no intention of grabbing it right that second. But he pauses when he sees who the message is from:

**BoneDaddy: Hey Babe, are you free tomorrow?**

Taako quickly dries his hands, snatches up his phone, and gives a curt glance over his shoulder towards the others. Lup now has Merle’s controller in her hands and a wonderfully mischievous look on her face. Magnus is groaning with frustration as he plays, obviously having to try harder against a more formidable opponent. Lucretia and Merle watch in rapt amusement. Taako turns his attention back to his phone.

**FromTV69: that depends. who’s asking? :3**

The response is immediate:

**BoneDaddy: That boba place downtown is having a special on their teas. You wanted to meet up there for lunch?**

**FromTV69: if by assume you mean treating me to some pomegranate tea then hell yeah cha boy is down**

There is a pause in the conversation, from what Taako can only imagine is laughter on the other end. He opens the fridge and ducks his head in to make—what’d looks like to the others—like he’s searching for a particular ingredient. And not, perchance, to hide a teeny endeared smile creeping up on his face. He is rewarded by the buzz of another forthcoming text:

**BoneDaddy: Pfft, sure. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Around 1?**

**FromTV69: sounds good homie**

**BoneDaddy: <3**

**FromTV69: <3**

Taako quickly sets aside his phone and goes back to chopping vegetables. His brain was so clear a moment ago, but now it’s racked with things like, _‘what am I going to wear?’_ and _‘Should I cook a lunch or should we eat out?’_ and other terribly, sappy thoughts.

His musings are interrupted by the sound of the front door unlocking, followed by Barry entering the house. Barry stretches as he shakes off his coat coat and then his lab coat, looking a particular bit of tired that could only come from pouring over something particularly creepy, but still considered “a valuable asset to the scientific community.” 

"Hey," He says, having deposited his stuff. “I’m back.”

“Shit!” Magnus calls out, having obviously been beaten for another round. 

“Babe!” Lup exclaims, discourteously tossing the controller back to Merle. Magnus leans back on the couch, his head reeling from another stunning defeat. Lucretia slow claps.

“Tell him about orchestra, Lup,” Taako calls over his shoulder, putting on a pot of water. He measures out some rice and wipes his hands on a towel.

“Later,” Lup calls back. She gives Barry a hug as he enters the living room. “I wanna hear about what got fucked up in the bio lab.”

“Nerds,” Taako calls.

“Nerds,” Magnus echos.

“What he said,” Merle adds.

“Ditto,” Lucretia throws in, eyes still glued to her article.

Lup sticks her tongue out at all of them and grabs Barry’s hand. “Let’s talk science upstairs, Babe. I need fresh eyes to look over my research paper anyway.”

Barry, with cheeks daring to blush, says in a low voice, “‘Research Paper’ is a funny way of saying your ass.” 

“I will raze this house to the ground!” Taako shouts, waving a spatula. He's the only on with the misfortune to have heard that, as everyone in the living shoots him a funny look.

Lup snorts with laughter and shoves Barry—face now beet red—towards the stairs. “Don’t hate the player, hate the game!” She calls back. Taako blows a raspberry at her, but then turns his attention back to cooking.

The quick paced steps going upstairs are drowned out by another round of Fantasy Mario Kart starting up.

“Mind if I play a bit?” Lucretia asks, sitting up and shooting her compatriots an amused look.

“Yes, _ please, _” Merle replies.

* * *

Dinner is stuffed bell peppers, each one lovingly draped with a layer of melted pepper jack cheese—except for the ones for Barry, despite his protests. His have a thick Italian seasoned tomato sauce poured on top. Those, and the smells of light pasta and salad with olive oil vinaigrette, draw everyone from their rooms and into the dining room.

“Bone app the teeth,” Lup declares, putting a basket of bread and butter in the middle of the food display with flourish. Everyone sits down at the table, happy and unrushed. It’s almost ritualistic how they share dinner together—one of the few moments of the day when their busy lives converge into one experience.

There is the sound of one more vehicle pulling into the driveway. Seconds later, the front door swings open and Davenport steps in. Everyone greets him with the usual collection of ‘Welcome Home’ and ‘Back from the front?’ He shoulders a messenger bag full of administrative papers. He's usually the first to leave the house, and often the last to get home. As he takes a seat at the head of the table, he eyes Merle, Magnus, and Taako.

“You three didn’t have band practice today?” he asks.

“That was yesterday,” Magnus answers. “We practiced a lot, but we still gotta lot of work to do.”

“Speak for yourself,” Marle chirps. “I think between the harmonica and accordion, I could make a sizable living as a one man band.”

“Please don’t subject your congregation to that,” Lucretia says, sliding into a seat of her own.

Once everyone starts digging in, the conversation gives way to comfortable silence. Knives and forks cut into the warm, savory meal. A pitcher of fresh lemonade gets passed around. The peace only last a few minutes though.

Barry starts, “So that mold spore that went rogue in the—”

“Stop,” Taako says, pointing at him with a food.

“Actually, YES,” Lup says, loudly and dramatically. She plants her elbows on either side of her plate and gives Barry a saccharine grin. “Please, go into great detail about the mold spore!”

“How bout we not?” Lucretia whispers, already looking a bit washed out at the thought.

“We said no science at the table for a _ reason_,” Davenport insists.

“If you’re not open to that,” Merle chirps.“You guys wanna hear about the long term greenhouse I’m designing for campus?”

“NOPE," the twins say in unison.

Merle is undeterred. “It’s gonna have a nice pool of water lilies to get _ comfortable _ in. And fruit trees blossoming in bulbous heaps—”

Taako slams his knife down, blade first. “I just wanna eat in _ peace. _” 

Magnus frowns at the knife that is currently lodged into the table that he built with his own two hands. He’ll have to fix that ding later. “Well, Julia and I are working on our final project for woodshop,” he says, yanking the knife out of the wood for Taako. “We get a whole gallery room to showcase in. It’s gonna have a running theme and everything.”

“Is the theme duck related?” Lucretia posits, open to any conversation that isn't cursed.

Magnus beams. “A classic, but no. You’ll have to come to the exhibition to find out.”

“So, we’re all having a busy ass semester,” Taako says, yanking the knife back out and wiping it off with a napkin. “Isn’t that right? _ Lup _.”

Lup tilts her head up from her plate but doesn’t say anything. They all shoot glances at her. Of all the people in the world—in the planer system—she was not one for modesty.

“Yeah,” she starts. “It’s gonna be one hellaova year, what with being concertmaster and all.”

“Ayyeee!” Magnus shouts, putting up a hand high five. Lup slaps him five.

“Yeah!” Merle says. His expression rises and falls. “Wait, that means what?”

“Principal violinist,” Lucretia explains. She smiles at Lup. “Congrats on first chair.”

"Thanks, babe," Lup says. She leans over to Barry and plants a kiss on his cheek. “Couldn’t have done it without your support either baby.”

Taako makes a gagging sound, but it’s short lived. Davenport dings his spoon on the side of his glass.

“I look forward to seeing what you all have going on this semester,” he says. “If you need a helping hand, just ask. In the meantime, it’d be nice to get through one meal without conversation being a heinous rollercoaster.”

“I vote,” Mangus suggests, “We talk about dogs. Specifically that dogs should vote.”

Dinner goes on in same old fashion.

* * *

Taako’s bedroom is a perfect storm of things. There are big, plush pillows strewn everywhere in an—to the untrained eye—inconceivable manner. Tapestries of clashing colors hang on the walls. Various clothes are just kind of tossed around. A huge bookshelf takes up almost half of the wall. Wizard hats hang off the bedposts of his unmade bed—which is crowded with more pillows and maybe even a few stuffed animals. There is a plant stand filled with strange and mystifying herbs near his large alcove window. A spice rack sits above his desk. 

It is a room that has been carefully curated with the sole purpose of having a comfy spot to curl up in no matter where you are within it. 

Taako walks through the doorway and immediately flops onto the bed. The weight of his body causes him to sink into the mass of fluff, nearly consuming him whole. His backpack falls into a similar pile of stuff near the foot of his bed. It’s half unzipped interior reveals the bright, offending yellow of the envelopes. Taako reaches down and retrieves the envelope within the envelopes, turning on the bed to give them another look over.

He casts Dispel Magic on them—because he doesn’t trust like that—and rips into them with elvish curiosity. A puff of perfume erupts instantly. He sneezes and rolls his eyes with annoyance. How _ guache, _he thinks._ Just use a fantasy facebook event like everyone else. _On the inside are a pair of paper wristbands, and two fancily written letters. They read:

_ Congratulations, _

_ You have been deemed worthy of being cordially invited to attend the Wave Echo Rave, the hottest elf ball of the year. This upcoming 12th of November at 10pm. Hosted by none other then the drop dead duo, Edward and Lydia! Please RSVP for seating. _

_ P.S. This is an elf exclusive event (half elves are probational) aside from select parties. _

The fucking _ assholes. _Taako waves a hand and the letters levitate over to his desk. He’ll let Lup incinerate them tomorrow, since he’s not in the mood to deal with the smell of smoke in the house right this second.

His eyes flicker to a small ukulele on the floor by his bed. He grabs it and flops into the cushions once more. No one knows he plays it. Lup know he has it. She’s definitely seen it in his room. But no one assumes that he plays it seriously. He has a lot of stuff in his room like that—stuff that he collects with no intention of using. But here he is, sprawled on his bed, strumming a simple little tune that's for himself and himself alone. 

The last of the sunlight streams through his large, alcoved window. The room dims as it descends. The stars painted on his ceiling glow in the dark. He doesn’t bother turning on the nearby lamp, opting stay on the bed and finish his tune. His brain is racked with all the things he needs to do before tomorrow. There's laundry, otherwise he’ll be out of clean underwear, and that’s a Big Ole No. There’s working on a band demo, but that can be done later he supposes. He’s got homework, natch....

His phone vibrates and he picks it up lazily. It’s a text from Lup. He pops it open and is greeted by a photo of something very gross and retch-inducing in a petri dish. Taako makes a face and hops off the bed. He tramps over to a particular wall and bangs loudly on it with his fist. 

“LUP!” he screams. “What the fuck?” There is a chorus of similar screaming echoed from down the hallway and maybe even downstairs. The only answer to the yells is a muffled, yet satisfied cackle coming from the other side of the wall. 

Taako tosses the phone onto his bed with a half-hearted groan. The day is gone, and he feels particularly lazy. He’ll have to get back at her later for this one.


	2. It’s that one guy

The only downside to the large house was the two, singular bathrooms. Worse yet, one had been having ongoing plumbing issues for a month now. Magnus had tried his hand at fixing it, but then he nearly turned the basement into a swimming pool. After a serious table talk (involving most everyone looking sopping wet) they all agreed to have a maintenance crew to come in and do the job later in the week. Until then, they would just have to suffer with one bathroom. 

Saturday morning, Lup comes out of the upstairs's bathroom. 

“I’m clean,” she declares, hair still dripping wet after a long shower.

Lucretia asks, “At long last?” before darting in right behind. 

“Wait, fuck!” Taako yells, halfway out the door of his bedroom with a towel. But the bathroom door quickly shuts and locks, with Lucretia's laughter muffled from behind.

“You have a pocket spa,” Lup points out. “Just use that.”

“Yeah, but it’s ‘sposed to a luxury kinda thing,” Taako grumbles. "If I use it for practical reasons, it loses its _ pizzazz. _”

Magnus’ door swings open, and his face appears. A towel and a change of clothes of his own is slung over his shoulder. He gestures at Taako. “Mind if I hang out in the pocket spa for a sesh, buddy?”

Taako takes his phone out of his pocket and checks the time. It’s after ten in the morning, which is the earliest he’ll allow himself to be up on a Saturday. 

“_Yeah_, I guess," He groans, before passing between Magnus and Lup to the staircase ledge. He yells down, “Any of the rest of you clowns need a dip in the pocket spa?”

“YES!” Merle, Barry, and Davenport yell up. Taako rolls his eyes and goes downstairs, with Magnus following close behind. 

"Don't fall in," Lup calls after them.

"Ha!" Her brother's mocking voice rises from below. 

* * *

Lup slips into her bedroom to get dressed. She throws on a loose, white blouse with red roses embroidering the collar and a tulle, burgundy mini skirt. Before she bothers to put on some shoes, she peeks out of her doorway, then sneaks over to Taako’s room.

His door is always closed, but that doesn't stop her from going right in and glances around. Her room isn’t that different from his, aside from her walls being covered nearly floor to ceiling in posters. There are also a lot of candles in her room—some for decoration, some for last minute rituals. Not to mention the collection of small formaldehyde jars resting on her bookshelf, filled with who-knows-what that Barry gave her. 

Boy, does she love that nerd.

Lup snatches a few things off of Taako’s vanity, planning to dart back into her room before he notices. Her eyes quickly catch sight of the garish yellow envelopes from the day before. She grabs hold of the open invitation and sighs.

“_Taako_,” she mutters to herself. “He should’ve thrown these out last night.” Her eyes scan the date: _ November 12th. _

Lup does some quick thinking. The twelfth, okay. The fall concert is then. She tosses the letter back on her brother’s desk and hurries back to her own room. At least now she knows for sure that they have an out for the party. She’ll have to tell him later to keep that in mind. In the meantime, she has more pressing concerns.

* * *

On the back patio, a small tent is popped open, and the group of five guys all squeeze their way through, into the magically spacious and luxurious spa. Taako wastes no time in hopping in the jacuzzi and giving himself a thorough scrub. The rest of them enter a bit more gingerly, enjoying the warmth of the water compared to the crisp chill of the outside, mid-autumn air.

Davenport raises a brow at Taako. “What’s got you in a hurry?”

“There’s a pomegranate tea with my name on it,” Taako says, practically squeezing an entire bottle of shampoo into his thick, blonde hair. He hopes that that gives the rest of them enough info to know he’s going out without outright saying it’s for a date.

“Oooh!” Magnus says. “Can I tag along?” 

Fucking Hell.

“Yeah,” Marle nods, lathering up his dwarven beard. “We’ll make it a boys weekend.” 

“No,” Taako says, peeking between loose hair strands. “I have set plans today and—boys weekend was literally _ last _weekend! We got caught in the rain outside the bowling alley. It sucked ass.”

“It was fun!” Merle protests. He looks over at Barry and Davenport. “Wasn’t it fun?”

“I wouldn’t call a bowling ball ending up stuck in the ceiling fun, exactly,” Davenport replies, shrugging. “But yeah I’d say other than the rain, it was a good day. The weather today looks much more appropriate for going out.”

“Oh, Lup and I actually have something going on today,” Barry starts. “What about next weekend instead?”

_ Once again, Barold is the only valid one in this Fantasy Brady Bunch, _ Taako thinks. By this point he’s thoroughly washed off, taking on last dip under the water.

“I’m not debating with you chucklefucks anymore,” he says, reemerging from the surface. “Today is a Taako day. Solo. That’s it.” He dips out of the jacuzzi, head and shoulders covered in thick, white towels. 

“Could you at least get us some snacks?” Magnus says, putting on his best, Burnsides-style puppy dog eyes. “Please?” The rest of them follow suit, to varying degrees of success.

Taako hates these assholes.

“_ Fine _,” he scoffs. “Hang on to the pocket spa and don’t spend all day using up my good soap. I’ll bring you a falafel or something. Later haters.”

Slipping out of the spa, he is greeted by a swift chill and shivers. The only real downside of autumn—in his opinion—is the cold. The cozy, layered looks that emerge because of it—the total upside.

Taako blinks into his room and slips on a light, olive green sweater and black skinny jeans. He plops in front of his vanity mirror to brush his hair and pull it back. It’s still a bit damp from the hot tub, so he opts to pull it back into a loose ponytail and run his hands through it until it takes on a wavy pattern. His eye scans the table top for something, then narrow when they don’t see it.

“Lup!” Taako yells through his open door.

“What!?” Lup yells back from her room.

“Did you take my stuff?”

“Your what?”

“My stuff! Half the shit on my vanity is gone. Did you take any of it?”

There is a pause. Then Lup says, “You know, honestly I think the answer to that question is relative—”

“Sonofa—” Taako storms out of his room, letting some of his hair fall loosely over his shoulders. He catches his reflection in the mirror on the way out. It’s a look, maybe? He’ll decide once he gets his stuff back.

Lup is sitting at her own desk in her room, also looking more well dressed than usual. She turns with affront as Taako—not too unkindly—brushes past her to look for his stuff. He snatches up a hairbrush, an eye shadow pallet, a spray bottle, and a delicate gold necklace.

“Wait, that one’s mine!’ Lup protests, turning in her seat. Taako yanks it from her reach and gives it a little shake.

“Penance,” he snaps back.

“What’s got you in such a hurry?” She asks, scanning his outfit. Her eyes narrow. “Are you...going on a date?”

“I’m getting tea,” Taako says, now attempting to back out as casually as possible.

“You can get tea from Fantasy Costco,” Lup says, standing up. She pads over her carpet after Taako. “And you don’t have to be so dressed up for it.”

“Who says I’m not going to Fantasy Costco dressed to the nines?” he asks. At this point he’s given up exiting casually, opting to straight up power walk back into his own room.

“I says,” Lup says. She leans against the doorway and crosses her arms. Taako rolls his eyes and plops down in front of the vanity again. Any other (date) day he’d be trying to nudge her out of his room with the door, but now he’s in a bit of a time crunch. He slips on the gold necklace—as well as a few gold rings for good measure. His hair falls around his face in calculatingly placed gold strands. It’s a good contrast against his darker clothes.

_ Kravitz better appreciate all this charm I’m putting on for him_, Taako thinks—knowing perfectly well that he does. While fiddling with a hairpin, he smiles just the tiniest bit.

“You’re so fucking cute when you’re in love, Ko,” Lup says, which is enough to snap his attention away from the mirror. Lup’s hands are squished against her face and she gives her head an adoring little shake. Taako gets up from his chair and sticks his tongue out at her.

“I’m cute all the time,” he says, throwing on a tan wool coat and a pair of dark riding boots.

“That, is also mine,” Lup says, nodding at the black, wide brim hat that he grabs to complete the look. 

Taako side-steps around her to get into the hallway. “Then we’re even. For now.” He hurries down the staircase, waving a hand back at her. “I might come back late so don’t worry about me for dinner.”

“I’m going through your closet while you’re gone!” Lup shouts down.

“Sleep with one eye open!” Taako’s voice carries up. There is the sound of the front door opening and closing with a flourish. 

Lucretia steps out of the bathroom in a comfy robe. The open door floods the hallway with hot steam. She glances toward the bannister, then back at Lup.

“A date?” she asks, her lips curling into a smile.

“Hell yeah, a date,” Lup replies. She rushes back into Taako’s room. After a minute or two, Lup appears down the stairs wearing a long, black cardigan and holding a red leather purse. Barry is already waiting in the living room, dressed in a white colored shirt, a bomber jacket, and his signature bluejeans. She gives him a quick kiss.

“Hey, Babe?” Lup asks. “Did Taako mentioned any specifics about where he was headed today?”

“All he said was that there was a pomegranate tea with his name on it,” Barry replies, thinking back. “And he’d get us a falafel later.” He catches the sparkling look in her eyes and matches it. “There’s a place downtown that has both of those things at easy accessibility.”

“Ha!” Lup grins and grabs some car keys from a bowl near the front door. She gives them a mischievous shake. “_Got 'em. _”

* * *

“Do you...need help getting down?” Kravitz asks, looking up at Taako.

“I think if I managed to squirrel my way up here, I can get myself back down,” Taako replies, trying his best to judge just how far up he actually is.

In waiting for Krav to show up, Taako had been steadily walking along the vine covered brick walls that trailed the pavements of downtown Neverwinter. However, he was slow to admit that he had absentmindedly followed the wall up the steep siding of an old brick building. Of course, he could just walk back the way he came. But at that moment, Kravitz came around the corner, and Taako found himself locked in place by Krav’s amused expression.

“If you say so,” Kravitz says, putting his gloved hands in his pockets. He was wearing a black peacoat over some dark grey slacks and oxford shoes. Two black feathers, the blessing of the raven queen, were tucked into the neat bun that his dreads were pulled into. The only shock of color in his outfit was a bright red scarf that was tucked into his collar. He looked real good, and Taako wanted nothing more than to give him a warm greeting. But his brain was battling between doing the sensible thing, the romantic thing, and the dumb thing.

“But also, don’t jump,” Kravitz says, his face shifting from amused to concerned. As if sensing that Taako—well-versed in the art of doing the dumb thing—might actually try to do that onto the hard concrete below.

“Don’t worry your pretty head,” Taako says, crouching down gingerly. He extends a hand. “I don’t have such a stick up my ass to be above chivalry.” Kravitz grabs onto his arm, careful to catch Taako’s weight as he pushes off the siding into Krav’s embrace. It’s a bit of an awkward greeting.

“It’s so good to see you,” Kravitz says, as if they didn’t make an effort to see each other once a week. They are both really busy students, but not too busy to make some time for each other.

“Ditto,” Taako replies, and hesitates no longer in giving him a kiss. The wind blows, and the trees around them rustle with leaves of red and orange and gold. They’re near downtown Neverwinter, and there is the faint sound of jazz music somewhere. It’s all overwhelmingly sappy, but utterly perfect for a date.

To top off the sap is Kravitz slipping an arm around Taako’s and intertwining their fingers. They part only to begin their walk towards their destination. They’re arms slowly swing between them as they make their way toward a particular plaza. 

After a few minutes of just this, Taako asks, “Hey, you wanna have a tryst?”

Kravitz practically sputters, he was not expecting this to be one of the first things they chat about.“A what? I want a what?”

Taako grins. “A tryst! A sexy school tryst!” He unhooks their hands and throws his arm around Kravitz’s waist. “C’mon, you’d have to be really out of the loop if the idea hasn’t crossed your mind at least once.”

Kravitz attempts to make a disapproving face, but that facade is shattered by the laughter that erupts from his chest. He points a finger at Taako. “Okay, A: No, it hasn’t. B: That’s unprofessional. And C: You’re awful.”

“What? No sexy affair between forbidden lovers?” Taako bemoans. “Fine, I guess I’ll have to scope out some other handsome, lonely teaching assistant to smooch behind storage closet doors.” 

“I wish you luck in that endeavor,” Kravitz says playfully. “But last time I checked, the roster for those specific qualifications are rather low.” 

Taako scoffs. “Wanna bet that I could?”

“Bet against you? Never.” Kravitz says, smiling.

They come upon a large open square of red brick shops and restaurants, each one opening their colorful doors to the sunlit, autumn day. One in particular has a sign over the door, declaring the house speciality of freshly cooked falafels and shawarma. A staircase to the right of the open door leads down to a boba tea shop, hidden away from less observant eyes. Strings of lightbulbs hang in criss crosses over the plaza, and a delicate fountain of dancing halflings finish the whole scene off rather nicely.

“We really ought to come here when it’s nighttime,” Taako says, leading them into the delicious smelling restaurant. It’s not too crowded, but filled with enough people to feel homey. The tables and chairs are all white, decorated with colorful utensils and small vases of chrysanthemums. “Close to candlenights would be nice.” Kravitz hums in agreement.

* * *

“—And that was _ ‘10 Things to Not Do when Your Patron Summoning Party goes Horribly Wrong.’ _ Thank you for joining us! I’m your host, Lup Taaco—”

“And I’m you’re co-host, Barry Bluejeans.”

“I love you, babe,” Lup says in into her mic with a smile.

“Love you too, hun,” Barry says from the producer’s room. He switches over to an automated playlist, and the booth fills with calming, lofi music. Lup takes off her headphones and spins around in her swivel chair.

“And we’re off the air!” she cheers. Barry opens the door for her and she gets up to greet him with a kiss. “That was such a good first episode!”

“I think so too,” he replies. “I’m glad we practiced ahead of time.”

“I’m just glad we managed to warp that boring ass thesis into something entertaining,” Lup says. She wraps her arm around his shoulders. “Let’s see how it fairs the next few weeks.”

They both exit the large recording studio of the Neverwinter Farspeech Station. It’s downtown, in the heart of the city. Lup raises her hand to her brow and scopes out for something. Just down the street from their station is a large plaza. It’s filled with colorful restaurants and shops. The perfect place to go for a lunch date.

“You wanna grab a bite to eat, Bar?” Lup asks, as Barry pays the meter. 

“Yeah, I could go for somewhere to sit down,” he replies. Lup grins and grabs his hand.

“I know just the spot!”

* * *

“Taako, is...is that your sister?” Kravitz asks, waving his free, non shawarma holding hand in the general direction behind Taako. 

Taako nearly chokes on his soda. His head whips around and—_by Istus—_Lup and Barry enter the restaurant, jovially talking to the waitress at the front. Taako spins back around and dips his head below the level of their booth.

“I’m going to be a fucking only child,” he mutters, grasping at the brim of his hat. Kravitz looks confused.

“Did...you know that she would be coming here?” he asks.

“No!” Taako says. “I figured she knew we were on a date but how could she-” His pupils shrink frighteningly. “Barold.” He makes a motion at kravitz with his hands. “Duck down, maybe they won’t notice!”

Kravitz is in the middle of saying, “What?” when—

“Oh, would you look at that, Babe!” Lup says, wearing a grin of massive proportions. She strides directly to their table. “Hey Ko! Hey, Ko’s beau. What’s hanging?”

“On second thought, fuck this,” Taako said, getting up. As he rises, Lup’s powerful hand lands on his shoulder, urging him to remain seated. The air between them stings with an unseen electricity, rippling the table cloth.

“I knew this place was pretty popular,” Lup says. “But I would’ve never expected you to be here on such a lovely Saturday afternoon.” She turns to Krav. “My bro isn’t being an idiot, is he? I tried to raise him better, but he never took well to it.”

Kravitz shoots Barry a glance, and Barry gives him the slightest shake of his head.

“I’m—we’re doing well,” Kravitz replies, processing the situation. “We just...happened to be on a date right now.”

“Yeah, _ Lup _,” Taako said, burning through embarrassment and landing securely in outrage. “We’re just two dudes having a nice afternoon on our own time without people fuckin’ coming up and barging in without pretext.” His eyes shift from her face to Barry’s. “Mind offering a plausible explanation for what you’re doing here, BAROLD?”

Barry, for his part, had expertly wedged himself between Lup and also Kravitz, away from Taako’s dangerous end of the table. Yet he still had the gall to look entertained with the whole situation.

“Lup and I were over at the recording station down the street,” he explains. “We’re developing an audio series about...you know… sciency stuff, and we decided to take a break to grab something to eat.”

“And can you believe—” Lup practically sings. “-we ended up picking the same place as my sweet, twin brother? One singular brain cell, am I right?”

At this point, the waitress from before comes back around to the four of them. She glances a bit confusingly from Taako and Krav to Lup and Barry. “Oh,” she chirps. “If you’re a party of four, we can offer you a larger table to sit at-”

“No,” Taako and Lup say at the same time. They lock eyes. Lup smiles at him and straightens to look up at the waitress.

“We were just saying hello,” she says, giving her brother a pat on the shoulder. He grumbles some expletive. “We’d like a table upstairs if that’s alright.”

“Of course!” the waitress says, beckoning for them to follow her. Lup and Barry look back at Taako and Kravitz.

“Tell your boy to hang out with us more often, Ko,” she calls, before looking at Krav. “Swing by our place whenever you’re free. We’ve got a decent set up and a less than descent garage band going. It’s an aesthetic.” 

Taako deflates as they go up the stairs. It’s only now that he notices the utensils clenched very tightly in his hands. He lets them fall on the table with a clatter, sighing, and barely able to look at Kravitz. When he finally does, he is greeted with a very amused half-smile.

“What’s with that look?” Taako asks, a bit of relief washing over him.

“This was bound to happen eventually,” Kravitz replies, eyes wisely set on his food instead of Taako’s annoyed face. “If your sister is so keen on our relationship, we could’ve possibly made this a double date.”

“Ugh, not you too!” Taako moans. “You were my last bastion of hope for—I don’t know-social interaction that wasn’t in some fuckin' way family related.”

“I apologize,” Kravitz says, in an unapologetic voice. He pauses and leans forward. The half smile hasn’t disappeared. “Is that grounds for breaking up with me?”

“Not if you’re still getting me that pomegranate tea,” Taako says, eyes dancing over the drink menu for no reason. He looks up and the half smile is a full one, warm and inviting. He can’t help but smile back, and feel just a little bit stupid over it. 

He likes Kravitz. He likes that liking Kravitz is so easy.

As their drinks get refilled, Taako clears his throat. “Um, since Lup happened to mention it, you wanna…? See, we have this—I’m in a—” He could practically hear his sister from elsewhere in the restaurant, ribbing on him via Twin Powers™ about his _ brilliant _ use of language. “It’s a band. Me and the boner squad, we put together a band.”

“Oh, really?” Kravitz says, looking genuinely intrigued. He would, the dork.

“Yeah, we uh, we just kinda goof around and play instruments. It is a couple of times a week, but we’ve never actually performed for anyone. You know, like a hobby.”

“Mmhmm,” Krav hums politely.

“And I just thought, what with your musical...background as it..were—I’m not...asking you not to judge, or give advice, or anything. I’m really just asking you to sit and look pretty and—”

“—And to cheer you on?”

“Yeah! I mean—every band needs a groupie, right?” Taako says. “I mean it’s not a _ proper _band if you don’t have someone that’s just a little fuckin’ overly obsessed with it, right?”

“Right.”

“Right. So...you down?” Taako asks.

Kravitz nods. “Of course. It’s not everyday one is given the coveted position as groupie for an up and coming band.”

“Right,” Taako says, waving his fork around like a wand. “And you are being hand picked by the very best, my man. When the hordes of fangirls start shelling out in droves, you’ll have the luxury of being like, I dunno. #1 fan or some shit. People kill for that kind of notoriety. You can’t just buy that shit, you’ve got to acquire it organically.”

Kravitz laughs. “So, when are your practice days?”


	3. Do we rock or do we suck?

Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday are band practice days. 

This is an unspoken rule kept by everyone in the house. In the mornings, they all go about their daily routines as casually as possible. Magnus carves whatever wooden project catches his fancy out on the back patio, Merle prunes the various plants around the house—which are in a shockingly spring-like state in late Autumn, and Taako does...Taako things. But as soon as the late Sunday afternoon hits, the trio start tramping down to the basement. This time Lucretia follows suit, carrying a laptop and a notebook.

The basement is definitely the coolest part of the house. The walls are covered from floor to ceiling with black sound-proofing panels. To contrast this, multicolored Candlenights lights are stung in a slightly chaotic canopy pattern, their ends hanging down the walls like ribbons. A wooden, Magnus Burnsides-style stage takes up one side of the room, with an old, beat-up couch and a few bean bag chairs taking up the opposite space. On the stage is a drum kit—with the name, ‘_ Tres Horny Boys _’ painted on the front—and an assortment of instruments that no individual knows which belongs to who. The whole room feels warm and cool at the same time, metaphorically speaking. (We’re speaking metaphorically here.)

“Okay, check it,” Magnus says—and before anyone can voice a word of protest, he proceeds to throw himself fully into hitting every drum surface as quickly and as loudly as he can. The discordant sounds of percussive banging bounce through the room and strike the fibers of everyone’s being. The lights flicker on and off. After a full minute, Magnus finally stops and shoots a big, breathless smile.

“So?” he asks excitedly. “Whaddya think?”

Lucretia, now scrunched into one of the bean bag chairs, slowly lowers her hands from covering her ears. Merle’s head is tucked firmly between two couch pillows. 

Taako rubs his head with a grimace. He says, “Magnus, pumpkin? Congratulations, I’m deaf now! I can’t hear a thing! Which is great, because at first I thought that I’d be forever stuck hearing the banging of your fucking drums and the pounding of my angry heart. But now I can’t hear shit. It’s just me and the intrusive thoughts, _ babey _.”

“Oh,” Magnus says, his shoulders slumping. He turns to Merle. “What’s your take, old man?”

“I dunno,” Merle says, sitting up properly. “Could’ve used some more cowbell to me.”

“More cowbell,” Magnus murmurs.

Lucretia raises an inquisitive eyebrow. “So I take it from all this..._ sincerity _ that you guys finally going to sign up for the B-O-B?” she asks.

“Big or Beefy?” says Magnus

“Bugs on Becky?” says Merle

“Bagels out Back?” says Taako. 

Lucretia doesn’t know what she was expecting from them. Actually she does, but the song and dance of their continued shenaniganry was too endearing to pass up. “Battle of Bands, _ you goofs. _I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I'm the programming director. Are you interested in participating or what?”

“I think our willingness to meet up three times a week shows how serious we are about this gig,” Merle says.

There is the sound of quick footsteps, and then Davenport peeks his head in to view the rest of them.

“Did someone die and knock over the drum kit?” he asks. “I heard a bunch of loud noises coming from down here.”

“Close to the mark Cap’nport,” Merle says. “Maggie was just giving us the Ole Burnsides Flare.”

“That was my bad!” Magnus calls. “We’re all good Cap’n.”

Davenport nods crisply. “Alright then. I’ll be grading papers upstairs. Call me if you need anything.” He pauses halfway up the stairs and calls back. “Or I guess bang on the drums real loud again. I suppose that would work too.”

“Noted,” They all call back.

“The deadline for applying was _ last _week,” Lucretia says, once the room settles a bit. “I’m putting my own butt on the line by extending the offer to my most trusted friends this late in the game.” She pops open her laptop and starts flicking through some files. “I’m going to need a demo from you guys this Wednesday at the latest so that we pair you up for the first round.”

“Hmmm,” all three of them say at once. 

They had started the band at the beginning of the year, just the three of them. Everyone in the house was musically inclined one way or another but it was Tres Horny Boys that had made the leap into garage band territory. No one quite remembers whose idea it was to start the dang thing (Magnus) or where to acquire all the audio equipment (Taako) or even why they had kept up the hobby for so long (Merle insisted it was good bonding exercise. He was right.) But they were doing this, and they were trying to be serious with it. 

The problem was that their personal music tastes differed rather drastically. Magnus had suggested alternative rock. Taako had suggested indie rock. And Merle has suggested...Pop Country. 

Needless to say, they hadn’t made a lot of progress in genre department.

“Boy apple tea,” Lup says, entering the basement. She sets a tray of deli sandwiches and a large bowl of pretzels down onto a small table in the middle of the room. She flops back into a large, red bean bag chair, which lets out a satisfying “toot” noise. “Are you boys still trying to figure out your sound?” she asks.

“Riddle me this,” Taako asks, now slinging a large, acoustic guitar over his shoulders. It is carved with intricate swirls and had an iridescent shine in the right lighting. “If an elf standing in a forest of idiots falls deaf, can he make a sound?”

“Your hearing is fine,” Magnus replies, twirling his drumsticks. He points one of them at the snacks that Lup has brought down.“Anyway, let’s grab some lunch and then figure it out for realsies this time!”

“For realsies!” Merle replies, about to reach over and pick up a sandwich. He pauses before he does, turning quickly to Taako. “Speaking of lunch, you forgot to bring us food yesterday!”

Taako slaps his forehead. “Shit, my bad. If Lup hadn’t interupted my fuckin date—”

“You were on a _ date? _” Magus asks, a spark of delight suddenly twinkling in his eyes.

“Knew it,” Lucretia says, munching on some pretzels. 

Taako pulls the hood of his oversized hoodie over his head to cover the blush on his ears. It does nothing to stop the blush on his cheeks. He doesn’t like that this conversation is happening, but better now than never. “Fuckin—_ yeah _,” he says. “And then Lup barged in and nearly scared my boy away.”

“You have a boy_ ? _” Merle asks.

Lup grins. “The boy! The boy for Taako. The boy who is now dating Taako. Taako’s boy.”

Magnus starts shoving pretzels into his sandwich like some sort of chaotic neutral mad lad. He nods curiously at Taako. “So this boy—"

“You’ll know the boy,” Taako says. He takes a bite of a cucumber sandwich. “Remember last Candlenights? The _ incident. _”

Merle raises an eyebrow and wiggles the fingers of his tree arm. “Very well, _ Magnus _.”

“Nope! We’re not talking about this again, _ Merle, _” Magnus says, tapping the cymbals with exasperation. 

“Almost had my ass expelled,” Merle mutters. “_ Magnus. _”

“You’re a teacher, _ Merle _ ,” Magnus replies. Then adds, “ _ Allegedly. _”

“What’s his name?” Lucretia asked Taako, wisely ignoring the bickering between her two friends.

“His name is Kravitz,” Taako replies. He slips off the hoodie and beams. “Hot as fuck, I might add. Homeboy gave me his number after only one encounter. Couldn’t resist the Ole Taako Charm.”

Lup reaches over and pokes Taako’s face, much to his disapproval. “A real _ genuine _ goth boy, Creesh. Me and Barry did a fellowship with him over the summer—a sort of necromantic-divination researcher’s guild. Kravitz was good at leading the thing, but in his off time he was always texting someone. Should’ve seen my face when I found out the person he was texting was my brother!” 

Lucretia laughs. “You kept in touch with a guy who initially wanted to kill you?”

“I live like I’m dying,” Taako says a matter-of-factly. “Oh shit, almost forgot—” He pulls a phone out of his pocket and checks the time. “My boy is coming over today! In about an hour or so.” 

This gets everyone’s attention easily.

“Wait you actually took my advice_ , _ Ko?” Lup asks, voice brimming with amusement. “What happened to keeping us out of your business?” Taako rolls his eyes and strums a lazy chord on his guitar.

“Maybe I feel like taking that next step, Lulu,” he relies. “Maybe cuz I’m not a fucking coward, unlike some _ sister _ I know.” He tilts his head just quickly enough to dodge an expertly hurled pillow.

“Speaking of relationships that took too fucking long—where’s Barry?” Merle asks, attempting to flick a pretzel into his own mouth. Lup waves her hand and it bounces off his forehead instead. 

“I made him lie down for a bit,” she says. “He was up late yesterday watching this new Fantasy Netflix series on embalming practices.” She glances over at Magnus. “If all that drumming didn’t rouse him then I guess he’s more familiar with the sleep of the dead then I thought.”

After the sandwich break and a quick clothing change break—because most of them were still technically in their pajamas and now had the expectation of a guest arriving—they were still stuck at the drawing board of song selection.

“I call dibs on first song!” Merle says. “How about ‘Get Along’—”

“Nope!” Taako says with a swift shake of his head.

“Okay, then how about ‘Come Over!’” Merle asks, exasperated.

“Merle,” Lucretia says. “Your love for Kenny Chesnsey’s discography is noted.”

“You can mock me, but you cannot mock an artist!” the dwarf replies, shaking a fist dramatically.

“Space Jam?” Taako asks.

Magnus shakes his head and suggests, “How about ‘Down with the sickness?’”

“And ruin _ my _ vocal chords?” Taako replies. He takes off the guitar and takes another bite of his sandwich. “Need I point out that _ I’m _ lead vocalist here.”

“Wait, when did we decide you were lead?” Magnus says. “What if I wanna lead?”

“You’re keeping us on beat, that is leading,” Taako says. 

“Okay, okay okay,” Merle cuts in. “How about, uh...Wonderwall?”

Both Taako and Magnus make faces. Magnus says, “Eh, Wonderwall is like...well, you know…”

“It’s not a bad song,” Lucretia points out. Lup nods in agreement.

Taako shrugs. “It’s a failsafe song. It’s like what you would sing to get third place at a high school talent show.”

“I don’t hear any dissenting opinion to it,” Merle says, crossing his short arms. 

Taako reaches for his guitar. “Ugh, fine. Wonderwall. Can I get uh—”

“Someone’s at the door!” Davenport calls from upstairs. 

Taako hops out of his beanbag chair and practically races up to the next floor.

“Boy is here,” Lup says, smirking.

Confirming her words is Taako, coming back down the stairs a moment later with Kravitz in tow. Kravitz is wearing a black collared shirt and slacks, with a double breasted maroon vest—a sharp contrast to everyone’s lazy Sunday sweatpants and sweater vibe. Slung on his back is a large cello case. He waves politely to everyone as he enters. 

Taako more pleased than usual. He wraps his arm around Kravitz and gestures to his friends. “Babe meet boner squad—aka: Magnus, Merle, Lucretia, and my sister. Boner squad, this is my boyfriend, Kravitz.”

“Oh hey! I remember you!” Magus says. He gets up to give Kravitz a handshake. Kravitz takes it, only for Magnus to yank his arm back reflexively.

“Holy shit!” Magnus says, stepping back. “That’s icy!” His eyes bulge when he realizes what he’s done. “Oh, fuck! Sorry there, buddy. That’s was really rude of me.”

“No, it’s okay! Really, ” Kravitz says, sudden worry etched on his face. He clasps his own hands nervously. “I should apologize, I can’t really—well, I don’t—”

“For fuck’s sake,” Taako says, “Please don’t get stuck in a politeness loop on each other’s behalf.” Taako slings an arm around Kravitz’s neck like it’s nothing. “Should’ve warned you guys. My boy’s a bit on the chilly side. Comes with being an emissary of death or whatever.”

“That’s cool,” Magnus says

“Literally,” Lucretia says, under her breath. Magnus offers a fist bump instead. Kravitz obliges with a smile.

“Taako you should’ve mentioned that Ghost Rider was a music boy!” Lup says, eyes on the large cello case. “Sup Skeletor! What’s with the thick ass violin?”

“_ Was _ a music boy,” Taako insists. “A hobbyist at best. He mains the double bass but cello is in the sort of repertoire—”

Magnus bursts out laughing. “I’m sorry, but did you say he _ mains _ the bass?”

“I’m sorry, did I fucking stutter?”

Kravitz, momentarily swung by the referral to his cello as a “thick ass violin,” manages to sputter out, “Well...I assumed, since we were all here for music related reasons, I’d—”

“Yeah,” Lup says with a wave and a grin. “I know a nerd when I see one. Go ahead and crack that cold one open and we’ll have a classical music sesh with the boys.”

“He’s a guest!” Taako insists, and then pauses to look back at Kravitz. “I mean, unless you wanna go ahead and crack that sucker open...”

“I’d like to hear the group of you play a bit first before I get involved,” Kravitz replies. He smiles warmly. “It looks like you were already in the middle of something. I’ve been excited to listen to you play ever since you asked.”

“Well, then.” Taako motions at the couch with a cool flourish. “Take a seat, Babe. And let’s get this show on the road!” 

Kravitz takes the large cello case off his back and leans it gingerly against the side of the couch, before sitting down beside Lucretia. She politely offers him the bowl of pretzels, which he takes with an amused expression. Lup plops back into the beanbag on Kravitz’s right, letting out another “toot” in the process. 

Magnus gets back behind the drums. Taako slings on his guitar. Merle grabs an instrument that looks like four angry clarinet players stabbed an argyle turkey to death. The noise that that distinct image would produce is emitted as he hops his little body onto a stool beside the drum kit.

“Bagpipes?” Kravitz asks, giving his head a curious tilt.

“It’s to differentiate ourselves,” Merle explains, settling himself.

“Which is to say that we couldn’t_ not _convince Merle to use the bagpipes,” Magnus says.

“I offered to play the harmonica instead,” Merle says, more to those seated than to his band mates. He holds up his free hand, moving it in a talking motion while poorly imitating Magnus’s voice. “_ The harmonica won’t work Merle. We’re not a jazz band, Merle. Bluegrass is too niche, we’re trying to make it big, Merle. _”

“I don’t sound like that,” Magnus says, crossing his arms.

“When he first got those pipes he attempted to use them to wake us up in the morning,” Lup says to Krav. “I cast a spell on it to combust instantly if he plays it before 10am.”

Merle made a frowny face and clutched his bagpipes closely, eliciting another, nauseating groan from the instrument. She shrugs.

“Listen, you guys are fortunate,” Taako says, pointing a finger. “You’re getting a chance to see the ‘Before they hit it big’ part of our music career.”

“Well bagpipes are certainly novel,” Kravitz says. “For a...what genre of music are you going for, exactly?”

“Well we’ve...been having a bit of a problem—ya know—getting our vibe,” Taako replies. “We got close with settling on alternative, but that’s about it.”

“What he said,” Merle tacks on.

“Ditto. You wanna hear what we’ve got currently?” Magnus asks. The trio on the couch nod their heads.

“You’re in for a real treat,” Lup says, elbowing Kravitz.

“Just for that,” Taako says, with a strum of his guitar. A wicked light suddenly shines in his eyes. “I dedicate this next song for you, Lup!”

Lup, ears lowered and eyes narrowed, says, “I swear to Istus if this is a Jimmy Buffet song—”

“No. No. No,” Taako says. “I suggest—before getting to the main event—we treat you all, our attentive audience, to a sample of the Tres Horny Boys cover of….‘Mr. Brightside.’” He winks over at Merle and Magnus.

Lup gasps. “Taako, no! I love that song! Don’t kill it!”

Magnus strikes his drum sticks together and yells, “A one! A two! A ONE TWO THREE FOUR!”

_ “Coming out of my cage and I’m doing just fine!” _Taako sings, strumming the familiar song by The Killers, but obviously off tempo. Magnus comes in, banging every single drum piece as hard as he can. Merle digs his heels into the stool and bellows out a rough approximation of the melody on his bagpipes. They hold this cacophonous noise for the world’s longest thirty seconds. Then they all stop abruptly, waiting patiently for their critique.

“Okay,” Lup says first. She exhales carefully. “I see what your problem is: Your problem is you suck.”

“Well that’s one opinion,” Merle says. “Creesh?”

“Bad,” Lucretia says, with two pillows pressed firmly against her head.

“That’s two,” Taako says.“Babe, what do you think?”

“Oh,” Kravtiz says. He looks like he’s fighting a losing battle with a pained wince. “You...you want my honest opinion?”

“Hell yeah!” Taako says brightly. Then he pauses. “ Well—I mean, as long as it isn’t...ya know...scathing or anything.” 

Kravtiz taps his fingers nervously. “Um…are you really sure about that?” His voice goes an octave higher and the hint of a ridiculous accent sneaks through. Taako’s shoulders slump. He turns back to Merle and Magnus with a look of defeat. 

“We fucking suck, my dudes.” 

“Damn,” Merle mutters. Magnus hits the cymbals sadly.

“Hey!” Davenport calls. Everyone turns their attention towards the basement door. This time he’s at the base of the stairs, with his arms crossed. “I came down stairs because it sounded like _ everyone _ died and knocked some instruments over. At once. I came to check in on you guys,”

“We’re good!” the group calls back. Taako motions between Davenport and his boyfriend.

“Dav, Krav,” He says. “Krav, Dav.”

“A pleasure,” Kravitz says, waving at Davenport. Davenport waves back, then turns on his heel.

“Think of the neighbor’s guys. We don’t need a _ third _noise complaint.” Davenport says, before going up the stairs for the second time.

“We will!” They all call back.

“Well, okay.” Kravitz says. “Let’s try this whole thing from the top. You already have a name—which is great.” They glance at Tres Horny boys on the drum kit. “So you have your brand going.”

“Oh hell yeah,” Taako says. “I’ve got that fully covered.”

“Excellent. You’ve been doing this for a while, and playing the same instruments this whole time, why not swap some out?” Taako and Magnus immediately look at Merle. The Dwarf gives his bagpipes a defensive squeeze.

“It doesn’t have to be a conventional instrument,” Kravitz says quickly. “Just something a bit more flexible, I dunno—”

“Wait! I got it!” Merle says suddenly. He hops off the bench rather nimbly and sets the bagpipes aside. “I like your thinking, spooky fella!” he adds, giving Kravitz a pat on the arm. He goes to another milk crate and pulls out an old, glossy red accordion. He gives it a playful, discordant squeeze. Like the whooping cough of an old man. Taako pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Hey Merle,” he asks. “Mind explaining: why this?”

Merle shrugs. “I thought it might add some character to whatever we play. You know, like a sea shanty or something.”

“A shanty?” Magnus asks, looking a mix of doubtful and amused.

“Yeah,” Merle says, coming back around. “You know—like…’Blow the Man Down’ or...Uh, how does that song go?”

“Which one?” Lucretia asks. She sits more upright in her seat than before.

“Oh, you know the one where that guys is trapped in the whale, with his deadbeat stepdad?”

“Not that you would know anything about that Merle—” Taako hums.

“No, not that I would know not anything about that,” Merle quips back, 

“The Mariner’s revenge,” Lup says.

“That’s it!” Merle exclaims. He looks at his band mates. “How about it boys?”

Taako shrugs. “Okay, but like, slowly. Don’t...rush in. _ Magnus. _”

“But that’s my brand!” Magnus pouts.

“I could...try to hold the tempo for you?” Kravitz offers. “It’s a shanty right?” Tres Horny boys nod. Kravitz gets up and snaps his fingers quickly.

Merle jumps into the tune on his accordion. It is jaunty, rhythmic, and just a bit haunting—as all good shanties ought to be. With the added guidance, he lets the music speak for itself.

“_ We are two mariners, _ ” Taako sings, flashing a grin. “ _ Our ship's sole survivors. In this belly of a whale! Its ribs are ceiling beams; its guts are carpeting. I guess we have some time to kill— _”

He follows the lyrics with the strum of his guitar. Magnus follows the beat of Merle’s accordion playing, now carefully focused on the rhythm Kravitz has set. There is a distinct improvement in their efforts. Lup gets up from her seat and walks toward a back corner of the room. She sifts through what appeared to be a milk crate full of hand-held instruments and pulls out a tambourine. She tosses it to Lucretia who starts beat on it the rhythm. 

“_ Then, one day in spring, My dear sweet mother died! But, before she did, I took her hand as she, dying, cried _—” Taako finger guns at his sister. “Take it Lup!”

Lup finger guns back at him. She stands at the front of the stage and says, “This verse is for Greg Grimaldis specifically.” She sings the chorus with a grin,_ “Find him, find him, Tie him to a pole, and break his fingers to splinters—’” _

The moment they enter the musical interlude, Kravitz turns back toward the couch, carefully clicking open the cello case with one hand and waving the other to the beat. He gingerly pulls out the large cello within. It’s a sleek black, though very oddly shaped. The modern design makes it appear much lighter than how it should be. Everyone’s eyes are on it, but they continue playing, curious as to what he intends to do.

Kravitz sits down and adjusts the stand. He gives the instrument a few experimental stokes with his bow to check the tune, then quickly strums into the melody of Taako’s guitar playing—much to Taako’s surprise and delight. The added low strings brings the whole thing down to a somber refrain.

For the last verses, Taako and Lup sing together. And their voices, similar but different, manage to strike the right chords between the excitement and bitterness of the words. _ “ _ _ It gives my eye great joy, to see your eyes fill with fear. To lean in close, and I will whisper the last words you'll hear— _

The song is carried to it’s lively, last interlude, and then ceremoniously ends in a chorus of clapping.

“Oh shit, it that thing electric?” Lup asks as soon as everything quiets down.

Yes,” Kravitz says, turning the cello around for a better view.“I have an acoustic one at home. But I assumed, what with coming over to visit it’d be easier to—”

Lup hops off the stage and sprints across the room.“Hold a sec, I gotta grab something! Stay right there!”

“Okay?” Kravitz says, looking confused. 

“We did not sound like shit that time,” Merle says.

“Hell yeah,” Taako and Magnus exclaim. 

“What you really need is a metronome,” Kravitz says. “There’s probably app you can download or—”

He’s interrupted by Lup’s running down the stairs, a sizable violin case in one hand, and Barry’s hand—with a sleepy, pajama dressed Barry attached—in the other.

“Babe, you wanna show ‘em how it’s done?” She asks, depositing him in the middle of the room.

“Show who what’s done?” Barry responds, looking half awake and very confused about the whole thing. Lup gives him an affectionate kiss on the cheek, then moves to sling a stool into the middle of the stage. She gestures at a black synthesizer leaned against a nearby wall. “Taako’s boy came over to rock out. Plug your keyboard in! Let’s jam!”

Barry, having gleaned nothing from that, nods over at Kravitz, who shrugs. He then obediently goes about setting up the large keyboard.

“Do you...have anything in mind?” Kravitz asks Lup.

“Pachabel, Canon in D,” she says, opening up her violin case. “Everyone else take a seat! That’s an order.” Tres Horny boy oblige, clearing their stuff away. Lup pulls out a beautifully hand-carved, rosewood violin. It looks freshly polished.

Kravitz asks,“That typically a duo, isn’t it?”

“Barry and I will do the melody,” Lup says, carefully tuning her instrument. “Just get in where you think you fit in!”

The three of them form a semi-circle, with Lup on the left, Barry in the middle and, and Kravitz on the right. This time Lup counts them off.

Barry starts first, with the relatively simple melody already lowering the previously chaotic energy of the room. Lup joins, creating a conversation between the two instruments. Kravitz, after a moment of listening, follows in carefully, allowing himself feel where to join in, and where to let the two others take the lead. The conversation of instruments turn into something of a dance, with each player relying on the other to carry forward to the next step, until all three have landed on the same footing.

The room is speechless throughout the whole thing. Merle kicks his feet to the music. Magnus nods his head approvingly. Lucretia and Taako both clap when the song is over, showing their appreciation for what is, rightfully so, a very good performance.

“Not bad, skeletor,” Lup says, lowering her bow. “You caught on pretty quick!”

“Yeah, that was pretty good,” Barry adds, now fully awake.

“I should be complimenting the two of you,” Kravitz replies, beaming. “How long have either of you been playing?”

“I got lessons when I was a kid,” Barry says, rubbing the back of his neck. He smiles sheepishly. “But I didn't really think much of it until much later.”

“Later being around the time _ I _ started learning violin,” Lups says. She shoots a wink at Barry. “But that was several years back, to be sure. We are a pretty good duet, if I say so myself.”

“A good trio you mean,” Lucretia says. She Looks at Tres Horny Boys. “You guys sounded much improved!” She looks thoughtful, then grabs her laptop. “You wanna hear?” She hits a key, and the sea shanty performance from before pours crisply from her tiny speaker.

“Wait, you were recording us?” Taako asks. He leans over Lucretia shoulder and, sure enough, there’s an audio file that Lucretia has named. “TresHornyBoys_BOB.mp3.”

“Only the second half,” Lucretia admits. “After Kravitz here joined with his cello. But I think it’s sufficient enough for a demo.” She smiles. “I look forward to putting you guys in the brackets.”

“Well, shit boys,” Magnus said, throwing up his arms. “We have ourselves a gig!”

“Be ready for the first round guys,” she says. 

“We stay ready,” Taako said.

“I think your prospects are good—” Lucretia adds. “—if we can manage to make this—” She gestures at their outfits. “—look as presentable as it sounds.” Taako is wearing a purple romper with a patchwork hoodie underneath. Magnus is wearing a shirt and cargo pants with two different patterns of camo. And Merle is wearing a garish yellow shirt that reads, “Pandemonium: Beachapalooza,” with the markered names of different beach dwarves written on the back and shirt sleeves.

“Come on Creesh,” Merle says. “Don’t be so modest.”

Lucretia gives him a look that says she wishes she was being modest. 

“I got it covered,” Taako says with a hand wave. He looks over at Kravitz. “There’s still a bit of daylight left. You wanna stay for dinner?” Kravitz perks up at that.

“If you all don’t mind—”

“Not at all,” Barry says, stretching to rid the last of his sleepiness. “In fact, would you mind taking a glance at some notes I’m pulling together. When you get the chance, of course?”

“Of course,” Kravitz replies. He looks happy, comfortable even. Surrounded by a room full of friends.

“Well, that settles that,” Taako says, rising up. He shoves whatever residual worry about whether they’d all get along out of the way. “I was thinking of making some curry with the leftover rice from the other day. Maybe a fruit salad on the side. That sound good?”

“I call dibs on spices,” Lup says excitedly. They all get up and start locking instruments in cases and rearrange the furniture. Merle kisses his bagpipes fair well as he moves them to make way for his accordion.

“Pack your sheet music, Ko,” Lup says, tossing a pillow on the couch. “Tomorrow is orchestra.”

“Oh fuck,” Taako says. He gives his guitar one final strum.“That’s gonna be interesting.”


	4. I don’t know the meaning of the word

Monday morning hits with loud alarm clock noises, mumbled good mornings, clothes that suit the weather, and breakfast of french toast and strong coffee. It’s filled with mad dashes to the metro station, standing up in a packed ride full of other students, and fast paced walks to first class. All while lugging heavy instrument cases and folders of sheet music.

Monday means orchestra practice.

* * *

Taako is glad he’s not in the strings section.

It is a snake pit, where only the most cunning and cutthroat survive. Wars have been waged, friendships ended, hearts broken. There is a reason why the majority of them are elves: they are the few ones with the lifespans to withstand it all. It’s a new semester, and there has been a re-shuffling of the musical hierarchy. The violins reign supreme over all, but the front row remains untouched as the last of the students enter.

Lup casually walks in and plops down into first chair—the seat of the concertmaster—like a queen on a throne. No one reacts outwardly, but Taako can sense them all seething with envy from their seats.

One of the viola players—the most oppressed section of the orchestra—decides to chirp bravely, “Lup! Excellent job on getting first chair! How’d you manage it?” Some of the other string players crane their ears to listen to her response.

Lup turns around and flashes a wide grin. “I choked out the previous first chair with my bow string!” And with that, the room chills to a frightening degree.

Taako snorts. He knows his sister played no such hand in doing something like that. Leeman Kessler, the previous first chair, had transferred over to a different school recently. Taako knows this. He also knows that she is fully, 100% capable of doing something like that.

Everyone knows. They all stammer an end to their conversations and the last of them move quietly to their seats. Johann comes in and takes second chair. Everyone’s keenly aware that Johann, the best bard in their group, is on par if not better at violin than Lup. Johann knows it too, and is probably willing to die to be concertmaster.

But Lup is willing to kill for it, and that is what separates the two.

Leon, the music teacher, has been trying to figure out how to kick Taako out of the orchestra for two years now. The problem is that Taako knew how to play all the weird instruments that no one else cared about. Last autumn it had been wood blocks, then maracas in the spring. This past autumn, everyone’s expectations raised significantly when he came in playing the theremin—which electrified (“Ha ha, get it?” Taako said, followed by Lup groaning incessantly) their regular concert-going audience. But those expectations were shattered when, at the start of this spring, Taako declared that he would put all of his efforts into mastery of a well-known, classical instrumental staple: the triangle. 

Merle hurries as quickly as he can into the classroom, a flurry of papers, flower petals, and pollen streaming behind him. No one asks about why he’s covered in pollen; they are too afraid of the answer. Instead they calmly wait for him to find his panpipes and wiggle his way into the woodwinds section, 

The class roll is called, and they all go into warm ups. After ten minutes of a discordant audio hellscape, the orchestra swells to a dramatic crescendo, before lowering into a soft and languid pianissimo. At the last moment, Taako strikes the triangle with a confident ring.

“Thank you, Taako,” Professor Leon said, shoulders slumping.

Taako grins smugly.

He had managed to get away with playing a different instrument every semester. This also afforded him a different spot in each section. This time, he was comfortably in the percussion section—close to Avi, who handled the timpani, and Magnus with the bass drum. 

“Hey!” Avi whispers over to Taako. “Are you and tres horny boys gonna be in the BOB?”

“Are we gonna _ win _ the BOB, you ask?” Taako says, crossing his arms. Avi grins.

“I like that competitive spirit,” he replies. “Johann, Robbie and I are gonna be playing too. We don’t have a name yet, but we’ve got a pretty good sound. Am I right, Rob?”

“We’re gonna be rad,” Robbie replies, lazily munching on a tube of pringles in the middle of class. (Robbie may or may not have been using his tuba to smuggle drugs.)

“I’m sorry,” says a voice from the woodwinds. Taako cranes his head over at Killian. She has a large bassoon on one hip and a large hand on the other. “Did I hear someone say something about winning the BOB. Because I sure hope it was me!”

“You tell ‘em babe!” Carey exclaims. She gives her glockenspiel a loud strum and points her mallets at Taako and Avi. “You losers won’t know what hits you come that first round!”

“Okay, everyone,” Leon calls, tapping his baton on his music stand. Everyone quiets down. He taps his giant tome of class notes, sheet music, and whatever irrelevant information he kept inventory of whatever. “I know you’re all excited about the BOB, but do remember there’s a fall concert in less than a few weeks. And the music department doesn’t get its funding from indie performances.”

“Support your local artists,” Johann mumbles.

“Firstly,” Leon pushes on. “Congratulations to Miss Lup Taaco for being promoted to first chair, I’m sure you do an excellent job as our new concertmaster!” Lup stands up swiftly and dabs to the riotous applause of the class. Taako wolf whistles loud enough to carry across the room. Leon waves a hand to calm them down.

“Speaking of the concert,” Leon says, a bit more tentative this time. “There’s been a bit of an...upset in the planning process.” Everyone stops clapping and cranes forward. They had been practicing for months now, readying for this day. (Though in everyone’s honest opinion, they sounded more like more like 50 instrumentalists in a trenchcoat than an orchestra.) Aside from that, none of them could fathom what might be affecting the concert this far in.

“After the brainwashing incident that was last, well, last Midsummer’s celebration—”,

Everyone pointedly turns their eyes away from Dracula who, for his part, squirms awkwardly in his seat of the small theatre organ on the far right of the room. Leon continues.

“—The music department’s board felt it safer to reduce any arcana that could be used to enhance the performances, down to level 2 spells or lower.”

This statement is met with a chorus of boos and a hail of crumpled paper and pencils. Taako throws his hands up in the air and yells, “Revolt! Unionize!”

“Given this!” Leon says, raising his voice over the noise. “The music department thought it would be austere if we were to open the opportunity to you, the students, to come up with ideas that could make the fall concert more engaging. It’s late notice, yes, but think of this as an opportunity to surprise us.” He quickly tacks on: “In a safe way. A safe, non-life endangering surprise.” 

Magnus raises a hand. 

“No, Magnus, we cannot include dogs in the performance.”

Magnus lowers a hand.

Leon motions at Lup. “All inquiries can be directed to either Miss Taaco or me. Keep them simple, please. We have a week and a half with this.”

“More like a week and a half with your mom,” someone whispers, just loud enough to get some laughs out of the center of the group.

“Ahem,” Leon coughs. He already looks exceedingly exhausted by this whole thing. “I’ll leave you all to it. Class is dismissed.”

* * *

“So I was on the bus,” Killian says, leaning her mighty, orc frame against a locker. “Carrying my bassoon—as per usual—and this one guy beside me gives my case a look and goes, “What is that? Is it a murder weapon?” 

Carey Fangbattle chuckles and asks, “So, how did you respond?”

Killian says, “Well, I looked at the dude with my serious face—you know the one—and I said. ‘Yeah, it is. Got a problem with that?’ Shut him up for the whole ride.” 

Carey laughs even more, burying her face into Killian’s arm to try to muffle the sound, to no avail. The rest of the orchestra pack up their things, grateful for the early reprieve.

“Hey!” Magus says excitedly, to no one in particular. “Let’s all go have lunch together since we got out of class early!”

“Are you paying for lunch?” Merle asks, shoving a binder full of sheet music into a terribly messy locker—which is about as big as he is.

“I’m not eating in the dining hall again,” Taako insists. “Those fuckers can choke on a hairnet if they think I’m going anywhere near their deli section ever again.”

“Let’s just go get snacks from the Davy Lamp and chill in the student lounge,” Lup says. “I’ve got some time to kill before arcane chem lab. And there’s still this monster of a fall concert to sort out.”

“Cool,” Magnus says. He turns to Carey and Killian. “You guys in?”

“Yeah,” The ladies respond, grabbing their bags. The six of them exit the music building and make their way a few blocks around the campus to the nearby student lounge.

“Lucretia wants me to grab her a bagel,” Lup says, glancing at her phone. “She’ll meet us over there when she’s done with her writing class.”

“Tell her she needs to do a better job of choosing bands for the BOB,” Magnus says, slipping between Carey and Killian. “If we’re gonna have competition they should, you know, pose a threat.”

“I’ll pose you a threat!” Carey says, ready to throw him into a headlock.

“Fuck those vogue loving motherfuckers!" yells a voice from up ahead. "Probational my ass!”

Everyone looks up, stopping in their tracks by the shouting. Outside of the Davy Jones campus eatery, a half elf man and elf woman stand in the open courtyard. They look a mix of tired and distressed.

“Rowan don’t be so—” the lady says,

“Nope, I’m out,” He declares, then turns on his heel to walk away. “Have fun at the party Antonia, give my regards to his_ Lordship. _” Rowan stomps away. Magnus immediately jogs over to the woman's side.

“Hey...Antonia...what’s up?” he asks. Antonia turns to him, the notices everyone else. She looks a little worn out, but she smiles anyway.

“Magnus, my friend,” she says, “A pleasure to see you fellows here.”

“What party where you guys talking about?” Merle asks.

“Oh shit,” Taako says, realization dawning. “Does this have to do with the elf thing?”

“Elf thing?” the rest of the group asks, looking less concerned and more confused. Antonia nods her head.

“I was invited of course,” she replies. “And surprisingly, though I guess not really, Lord Artemis Sterling has been invited.”

“Invited to what?” Killian asks.

Lup scoffs. “Of course they’d invite invite the fuckin’ _Lord of Neverwinte_r, to a party they themselves marked exclusive—”

“They who?” Carey asks.

“But Rowan,” Antonia continues. “My friend and compatriot, was not invited. Despite being a half elf. Or maybe...because he's a half elf?”

“Wait, they what now?” Magnus asks.

“Bastards,” Lup mutters.

“Can somebody please explain to me what’s going on?” Merle asks, clearly the most exasperated.

“Vogue twins. Elf exclusive party. Keep up old man,” Taako says. He looks at Antonia. “Have you tried talking to them about it?”

“Yes, I brought it to their attention that we both serve the young Lord, and what with the guideline, we just assumed that—”

“Hey!” a voice yells. Everyone turns towards a nearby staircase. Sloane stomps her way angry down the stairs, her black boots hits the metal steps with a loud clang. Her halfling girlfriend, Hurley, hurries close behind. Sloane's eyes zero in on Taako and Lup. “Did either of you get invited to that dumbass elf party coming up?” she asks.

“Yeah?” the twins say together. The two ladies stride toward the group. Sloane looks angry enough to flip a car. Hurley looks ready to try to stop Sloane.

“Can you believe on the invite it said ‘half elves are probational?’" Sloane yells. "Fucking _ probational! _ I mean—did you see that shit?” She grits her teeth. “ _ Did you see that shit!? _”

“Okay. Seriously, guys,” Carey says. “What the fuck?”

“Were you not invited either?” Antonia asks Sloane tentatively. “Because my friend is half elf, and he wasn’t.”

“No, get this,” Sloane says, throwing her hands into the air. “I actually fucking was!”

“What?” Everyone asks, almost perfectly in sync.

“We assumed they gave her one because they thought it’d be cool to have some Goldcliff battle wagoners mingle in with the crowd,” Hurley explains. “I think popularity is a huge factor in who they invite.”

“But even then I can’t even bring my girlfriend along!” Sloane yells, loud enough for passersby to stare. “No plus one! Not even my teammate! _ Did you see that shit!? _”

“We saw that shit,” Taako and Lup say simultaneously.

“Do you two actually intend to go?” Hurley asks.

“Fuck no!” Taako says. “They can kiss my ass! Wait.” He glances over his shoulder at the Davy Lamp, then at the group. “Go ahead and find us a place to chill at. I wanna talk to Ren about this shindig.”

“I’ll go with,” Magnus says. “I did volunteer the lunch idea, I can at least get snacks.”

“You’re too nice Maggie,” Lup says, patting his shoulder. “I’ll chip in.”

“I still need a more thorough explanation,” Merle says, absolutely indignant. “I can’t wrap my head around what you guys are talking about!”

“We’ll fill you guys in,” Sloane says, to him, Carey, and Killian. “I need someone to vent to or else I’m gonna blow a gasket.”

“You coming, Antonia?” Magnus says to the elven woman. She shakes her head politely. 

“I appreciate it,” she replies. “But I should head on to my next class. I’ll talk with you guys later though. Maybe I’ll think of something for how to handle this situation.”

Magnus gives her a thumbs up, and the group splits as everyone goes to do their respective thing.

Taako, Lup, and Magnus rush into the Davy Lamp. It’s busy in the midday. Folks are buying warm lattes to fend off the autumn chill. There are a good number of tables where students are sitting and doing homework. Ren stands at the front counter, ringing up a student’s bagel. Her eyebrows raise significantly when she sees the Twins and Magnus barging into the eatery. 

As soon as Taako strides up to the counter, Ren puts up a hand.

“Let me guess,” She says, planting the hand on her hip. “Elf party?”

“Elf party,” they all say in agreement. 

Ren winces. “Yeaaaaahhh. Fuck that shit, I’m not interested.”

“Fuck yeah!” Taako says, reaching over the counter to give her a high five. She reciprocates it, then leans forward over the counter.

“It’s been causing a bit of a fuss all over campus,” She says. “Everyone who isn’t an elf is obsessed with trying to figure out who’s invited and who isn’t. Most folks say they’re not interested, but it’s kind of hard to refuse something branded exclusive.” She straightens up. “I think it’s better to just keep my head out of it.”

“We’re not going either,” Lup says. “Fall concert is that night.”

“Shit,” Taako says. “Fall concert _ is _ that night.”

“I would think a Friday night party would last a lot longer into the night than a fine arts performance,” Ren says, inquisitively.

“Well, we’re trying to brainstorm ideas for how to make it more exciting,” Lup says, “They lowered the level of magic we can use, and not everyone in orchestra is a fucking bard. So we’ve got to get pretty darn creative.”

“Whatever you guys come up with, I’ll take time off to come see that instead of whatever the fuck the Vogue twins have up their sleeves.”

“You’re the real deal, Ren!” Magnus says. Ren beams. She spins around a waves a hand over the snacks on display. “Since you guys are here, what can I get you?”

As Magnus labors over the selecting of appropriate snacks, one of Taako’s many pockets buzz with from his phone. He takes it out and gives it a curt glance. There’s a text message that brings a small smile to his face.

**BoneDaddy: Hey Babe, I’m free tomorrow afternoon. Do you want to hang out?**

Before Taako can type a response, Lup’s hand is on his phone, slipping it out of his grasp. Taako gasps, taken off guard long enough for her to quickly start typing something.

“Lup!” He yells, which grabs Magnus’s and Ren’s—and everyone in the general vicinity— attention. He attempts to snatch the phone back, but Lup deftly side steps out of his way. She casts Bigby’s Hand to push him further out of reach,

“Smiling like an idiot will give you away every time,” She laughs. She taps a few more keys and tosses it back to him. “You can thank me later!” He fumbles to catch it, desperate to see what terrible thing she just sent his boyfriend. As he reads, he get a short response.

**FromTV69: Ko’s cool sis here. Come to our place again, k?**

**BoneDaddy: ?**

Taako groans and shoots an ugly glare at his sister. She chuckles and leans against the counter. Magnus and Ren glance at each other and shrug. Taako types furiously as Lup and Magus pay for the snacks. 

**FromTV69: my dumbass sister grabbed my phone. i’m going to transmute all her shampoo into jello**

**BoneDaddy: Oh. Well that explains that.**

Another message follows:

**BoneDaddy: Well, I do have time to come over to your place. If that’s fine by you.**

**FromTV69: yeah, stud. come on over. i’ll make crepes**

**BoneDaddy: Great! See you tomorrow.**

**FromTV69: yeah <3**

**BoneDaddy: <3**

“Okay one,” Lup says, grabbing a bag of bagels. “You have him listed as _Bone Daddy_ of all things.” 

“By Istus’s hand,” Ren says under her breath, as if trying not to laugh. Taako shoots her a look of betrayal.

“And two,” Lup says, her volume and pitch increasing exponentially. “You two end each other’s conversations with text hearts?” She raises her shoulders and clenches her fists, as if trying to contain the squee raising up inside her. Taako resists the urge to throw back his head and scream out of embarrassment. This is _ the fucking worst. _

“Oh me and Julia do that all the time!” Magnus says enthusiastically. Then he gasps. “Hey! You can Kravitz should come on a date with me and Julia sometime!”

Taako groans, “Oh for fucks s—”

“Hey, let’s make it a triple date!” Lup says, her special brand of evil on full display. Taako looks at her in horror.

“No! Nope! Absolutely not. We are ending this conversation here and now. Bye Ren!” He tucks his phone back into his pocket and power walks out of the eatery. Magnus and Lup follow suit, waving goodbye as they do.

“Y’all come back soon, ya hear!” Ren calls after them. 

Lup attempts to catch up with her brother, careful of the food she has in tow. “We’ll get Merle involved with one of his plants and make it a quadruple date.”

“I’m not having this conversation anymore,” Taako replies.

The three of them notice the group of their friends, crowded around a large table in a circle. Magnus opens his mouth to say something about the snacks, but then doesn’t.

On Hurley and Sloane face is a look of shock. For Carey, Killian, and Merle, it’s confusion. Taako, Lup and Magnus turn and they see that they are all staring at Lucretia. Well, more specifically, what Lucretia is holding in her hand. 

It’s a bright yellow envelope with a dark blue seal. 

“Creesh,” Lup asks, the playfulness in her voice now gone. “Where did you get that?”

“I found this on my desk in the newsroom,” Lucretia replies, a little taken aback by their reactions. “Does anyone know what this is?”


	5. I love this song

“Okay,” Lup says. “Is this just me, or this whole ‘elf party’ just a hard right into Sketchy As Fuck™ territory? I mean, besides the normal amount of sketchy.”

The group sat down in the student center and explained to Lucretia the purpose of the invite, and the conflicts it was causing around campus. Lucretia’s eyes flitted to her own yellow envelope, laying flat on the table before her. She looked horrified.

“But why me?” she asked. “I know I do a lot of things around campus, but I wouldn’t deem myself popular enough to warrant breaking their own rules. Not like Lord Artemis Sterling, anyway.”

“You should keep that on the downlow for now,” Magnus says. “It might cause a bit of an uproar if folks found out some people were getting invited willy nilly.”

“Lucretia, you’re good at keeping secrets, right?” Merle asks.

“You have no idea,” Lucretia says.

“Our best bet is to address this issue directly,” Killian says. She glances at Taako and Lup. “You guys probably have the best chances of talking to Edward and Lydia and getting some viable information out of them.”

Taako groans. “The last thing I want to do is talk to those fuckers.”

“_Taako. _”

“We get it,” Lup replies, putting her hand on her brother’s shoulder. “They’re slippery as fuck, but we’ll let you know if we discover anything.” She looked at Lucretia. “Creesh, do hang on to that envelope for now. But don’t bother opening it. Maybe do an arcana check, just to be sure.”

Lucretia nods and casts Dispel Magic. 

Nothing usual happens.

“Well, folks,” Carey says.. “Looks like we have ourselves a mystery on our hands.”

* * *

The following Tuesday morning, bright and early, Taako swings the front door open.

“Hello sir!” Angus pipes cheerfully. He stands on the front porch, a smile on his face and backpack in tow.

Taako swings the front door closed.

He pauses.

He opens it again, this time a bit slower. Angus is still standing there, his smile a little smaller, but still present. Taako sighs and swings the door open all the way.

“Angus,” he says. “The point of magic lessons is for _ me _ to spring them spontaneously onto _ you _, not the other way around.”

Angus nods. “Apt analysis, sir. But I’m afraid that’s not actually the present situation.”

“Oh really?” Taako asks, resigned to the fact that Angus probably came all this way to speak with him in tandem to trekking to class. Somehow the kid had weaseled himself into taking two college level prerequisites at age...ten? Twelve? Taako doesn’t bother to stamp a number on the kid’s forehead. The word BABY just appears in his mind, blaring in bright red letters every time the notion of Angus’s age is called into question.

Taako locks the door behind him and moseys down the steps without a backward glance. He makes his stride long, if only to hear the patter of much shorter legs catching up behind him.

“Yes sir!” Angus, calls from behind. His voice jostles a bit as he holds on tightly to his backpack. “Well, sir, you see, I uh, have a favor to ask of you.”

At that Taako stops in his tracks and glances at Angus over his shoulder. His eyes narrow. “You know Taako doesn’t do favors all higgledy piggledy, little man. What is it and what’s in it for me?”

Angus relishes this reprieve from their fast-paced walking. He clears his throat. “Well, you are aware about my academic competition coming up this Saturday?”

“As if you didn’t harrow me up a fucking wall for a month till I helped you study, but continue.”

“Um, well—”

“Is it the competitors?” Taako asks. “Because if there’s anyone in particular that you need..._ not showing up— _ ” He raises his hands to make air quotes. “—Me and the boys could possibly... _ handle _ them for you.”

Angus shakes his head good-naturedly. “Thank you, sir, but that’s not my inquiry. Also that’s illegal, sir.”

“Never stopped me before,” Taako mutters.

“Coincidently—” Angus continues, wisely not engaging with that previous line of thought. “This Saturday—-the day of the academic competition—is also the day that pro wrestler Jeff Angel is having a book signing for his new memoir: ‘In the Fowl Clutch of Circumstance.’”

“Fucking hell,” Taako says, gritting his teeth.

“It’s supposed to have pictures of his glory days as a young wrestler, and statements from old rivals, and even a sticker page!” His face fell from its excitement. “Though I wouldn’t be able to go and get the book myself if I’m across town, so...well, um, I was wondering—if you’re not too busy—then—”

“Like I said, bubelah, I don’t do freebies,” Taako says flatly. He gives Agnus a quick look over. “Did you have breakfast this morning?”

Angus lives on a large, private property, not to0 far away from the neighborhood. But he hung out at their house so often, that at some point the lines between where he lived and where he stayed blurred significantly. Angus shuffles his feet sheepishly on the pavement.

“Um, I had to get out the door a bit early so’s I could catch up to you,” he replies. “But I did have some trail mix—”

“Dammit,” Taako comes to a full stop in front of the Fantasy Costco’s parking lot. He checks his phone for the time, then spins around and points a finger at Angus. “Okay, quick breakfast first—_ then _ we work out an agreement.”

Angus nods enthusiastically. 

They both hurry into the Costco, and are greeted by the melodious sound of the Fantasy Costco jiggle. Garfield the Deals Warlock, mysterious and effervescent as always, waves to them as he continues to stock what looks to be a shelf full of dank potions.

“So this book signing,” Taako says, slapping whatever quick-to-eat items he deems worthy to make a decent breakfast for Angus. “Where did you say it was?”

“The New Neverwinter shopping Plaza, sir.”

“They call it new, but that shits been around for five years.” 

“As long as the old one exists, there’s always something to be compared to,” Angus points out.

“You get to say that because you’re a baby,” Taako replies. “But if you get any ideas about comparing yourself to me, just remember that I know how to hide a body.”

“And I know how to find bodies, sir,” Angus said, grinning. Rarely did the kid try to dish it out with Taako so audaciously. But Taako knew he could make use of Angus’s sleuthing skills.

They leave the Fantasy Costco—hot pockets, apple juice bottles, and granola bars in tow. They ride the metro together, and Taako decides to do the not adult thing of making sure Angus gets to his first class safely. It’s weird seeing a small child dart into a building full of grown ass people. But most folks have gotten used to seeing him around. Weirder things have happened at Eversummer.

Taako makes his way across campus to his own classes and makes a mental note of the book signing. He definitely hemmed and hawed about not getting the book for Angus. Enough for the kid to stop asking about it after the second stop before reaching campus. Yet he already has a pretty solid plan of action for going about and getting it. He’s a pro at getting shit. But it’s not like he’s going to let Angus in on any of that. 

Gotta keep the kid sharp, ya know?

* * *

That morning, Lup was busy stacking returned books in the reading room of the student center. It’s one of a handful of gigs that she and Taako share. The school had stressed not working more than one job on campus. But the twins had managed to fly under the radar for three years now with no less than four part time jobs and they weren't going to stop anytime soon. This one was particularly mindless and easygoing. At least—

“Oh! Lup, darling?” A voice said. “What a surprise seeing you here! Tell me; you wouldn’t happen to be busy this Friday?” 

Lup, upon recognizing the voice, stays crouched. She hears footsteps approaching her, but she doesn’t bother to look up. She continues stacking as she replies, “Who wants to know?”

Lydia—clearly— taps the heels of her ankle boots a little impatiently. “Well, I heard there’s a new string of shops opening up at the Midtown Neverwinter Plaza. And I thought...it wouldn’t be fun if _ you _ joined me for a shopping trip!” 

“I’ll pass,” Lup says.

“We could purchase looks to wear to the party!” Lydia offers.

“Oh, double pass,” Lup replies. “Also, I’m not going to your little party, so you can write me and my brother off the list.”

“Whaaaaaaat?” Lydia says, her voice raising to an annoying pitch. And at this point Lup has to remind herself that blasting other people out windows will get her fired. “How _ come? _”

“Like I said,” Lup replies, finishing the stack of books. She stands up, and gets an eye full of Lydia’s neon pink dress and equally garish fuzzy jacket. Lup has an inch or two on her height, but Lydia has the advantage of wearing heels, so they meet eye to eye. “I have plans.”

Lydia pouts. “That’s no excuse to not come shopping with me! Come on, I don’t know how often you frequent the plaza, but I know a handful of fun stores that you might enjoy.” Her eyes flicker over Lup’s outfit: a black tank top, studded belt, and red plaid trousers. “You look you’d be into vintage. I hear that’s rather in vogue right now.”

“Hey, Lydia?” Lup says, finally deciding to give up on the polite banter. “Riddle me this: Why the _ fuck _ would I have any reason to hang out with you?”

The smile on Lydia’s face wanes. She shifts on her hip to a more serious stance and says, “I’m sure you have far more questions to ask me than that. Why not ask them over some tea? It’d be fun.”

“Triple pass,” Lup says. She side steps around her foe and reaches for a clipboard on a rolling cart nearby. She’s glad she actually has something to do other than wait around for this droll conversation to end. “That’s three strikes, Lydia. You’re out.”

“So it seems,” Lydia replies quietly. She takes a step towards the exit. “Just putting it out there, Lup dear. Feel free to let me know if you change your mind. I’ll be around!” She exits the reading room with a loud clacking of heels. 

Lup takes the opportunity to stare at the ceiling and breathe a sigh of relief.

Well that was...weird.

She’ll have to tell Taako and the others about it later. They’ll get a kick out of it. As she exits the reading room with the cart, she pauses in thought: Lydia knew that Lup and the others had concerns about the whole invitations thing. Why did she want to talk to Lup especially about it?

The issue burns in the back of Lup’s mind as she tries to continue working.

* * *

Around noon-ish o’ clock, Taako was leaving his last class for the day. He spots Edward standing at a nearby bus stop by himself. Taako makes the effort to talk over there as inconspicuous as _elvenly_ possible. However it’s difficult to not be noticed when he’s wearing a tie-dye jumpsuit and Edward is in painfully bright yellow overalls over a black turtleneck. They stand out against the more seasonally dressed students also gathered at the stop. Taako stops just few away from Edward. Their eyes meet momentarily, and then turn away.

“Taako,” Edward says, looking straight ahead.

“Edward,” Taako replies, doing the same.

They stay like that for a few seconds.

Then Edward starts, “So my party—”

“Yeah, about that,” Taako cuts in. He leans against a nearby light pole. “Care to explain _ what _ the fuck is up, my dude? Because you have half the elves in Neverwinter going nuts like it’s a Fantasy Black Friday. And Taako ain’t seeing the benefits for it.”

Edward smiles. “I take it you and your sister have decided to attend?”

“You take incorrect. But that doesn’t mean I don’t find it all sketchy as hell.”

A shuttle comes up, and half the students at the stop board the bus. Edward stays where he is.

“I’m offended, Taako,” he says. “Lydia and I have spent months planning for this lovely event. With the backing of the Elven student council, of course.” His eyes light up suddenly. “Why don’t you come to the meeting and see for yourself? We’ll be discussing it as part of our agenda this Wednesday”

“Elf student council?” Taako asks, raising a brow. “Wait, we have one of those?”

“Yes?” Edward replies, a bit apprehensively.

Taako thinks on it for a split second. “Yeah, okay. I’m in.”

Edward looks taken aback. “Wait...really?”

“Hell’s yeah, homie! Cha’boy wants to see what’s up. Unless it’s boring. In which case, Cha’boy doesn’t want to see what’s up.”

“Oh, believe me,” Edward says. “The matters that will be discussed are hardly what I’d call boring.”

“If it were anyone but you saying that, I wouldn’t believe it,” Taako replies. Edward grins.

The campus shuttle pulls up, and the last of the students at the stop crowd on. Edward turns to Taako and gives him a polite nod. “I’m glad you at least have respect for taste, Taako. The meeting will be at 6:30pm, at the south botanical garden. See you there!”

“Yuh huh,” Taako replies with a hand wave. “If I don’t change my mind before then.”

Edward gets on and the bus pulls away. Taako plops down on one of the benches, trying to wrap his head around Edward’s words. He opts for checking his phone instead of dwelling. It is filled with reminders from Magnus that they have band practice this afternoon. A text from Agnus saying thanks for breakfast. A text from Kravitz saying he’ll be arriving a little later in the day. There’s the little text heart that they send each other all the time.

Taako scrolls through all these messages with a comfortable smile on his face.

And then he realizes something.

“Shit, that was my bus too! _ Fuck! _”

* * *

“Fall concert ideas, _ go! _” Lup throws a piece of popcorn across the room. Magnus catches it in his mouth with terrifying accuracy.

“How about a jazz number? Everyone loves jazz,” Merle suggests. He and Lucretia sit opposite each other at the dining room table, playing a round of checkers. Barry sits beside Lucretia, thoroughly engrossed in editing a script on his laptop. Magnus moves from place to place around the dining room, waiting to catch another popcorn as Lup tosses them from her perch on the kitchen counter.

“Dope idea,” Lup replies. “But the hammerheads are all suspended, so we’re down for the count on all our saxes.” 

Taako walks through the front door just as another popcorn flies through the air. He dodges in the nick of time, as Magnus nearly crashes into him to catch the piece in his mouth.

“Watch it!” Taako huffs, regaining his balance. Magnus shrugs and moves away from the door, munching contentedly.

Lup points a finger at her brother. “Koko! Fall concert ideas! Hit me!”

“Do something with the strings,” he suggests, tossing his bag and jacket in a heap in the corner. “We’ve got a fuck ton of them.”

“You know, I’d love a good string quartet,” Lup says. “But the lineup is so uneven this year. Let’s say Johann and I have violins covered. That leaves viola, bass—”

“We know viola players,” Taako said. “There’s—”

“Oh my god,” Lup says. “If you suggest fucking _ Nerd Lord_, of all people, I’m going to put you in a choke hold.”

“Nope. Definitely was not going to suggest it,” Taako replies. He enters the kitchen and starts taking out all the necessary ingredients to make crepes. “Not even.”

Magnus raises a hand. 

“Yes Magnus,” Lup says.

“Okay,” Magnus starts. He plops down in a seat beside Barry. “What if—instead of a quartet, you did like, uuuuh. I dunno—aaaah violin off?”

Lup’s attention is piqued. “Extrapolate on that, Maggie.”

“Johann always shows off his musical chops when it comes to events, but he’s never been rivaled before. What if you and him faced off? One on one.”

“A strings battle,” Lup says, musing. “I like that.” She makes a note of it on a pad sitting near her on the counter.

“You like it because it’ll bring out your competitive side,” Barry points out.

“You know me, babe,” Lup says, shooting him a wink. “Can’t turn down a challenge.”

The doorbell rings, and Taako turns away from the stove to reach it.

“Lulu, watch the pan for me,” he says, quickly hopping over the counter. “That’s my boy at the door.”

“Boy is here,” The rest of them announce. Lup hops over in the other direction and flips the crepes over before they burn.

Taako opens the door and greets Kravitz with a hug. Kravitz plants a kiss on Taako’s cheek, then steps into the house. Just as he does, Lucretia jumps Merle for three on the checkerboard, stealing the last of his pieces.

“I win!” She shouts in delight.

“How in the hell?” Merle asks, his eyes scanning the board frantically.

“Another one bites the dust, old man!” Magnus says, before reaching over the table to give Kravitz a fist bump, which he reciprocates.

Taako gestures for Kravitz to sit at one of the dining room table seats, then hurries back into the kitchen. “Be right back, babe.”

“I hadn’t mentioned the first time I was here,” Kravitz says, pulling himself a seat. “But you have a really beautiful home. Do you all share it?”

“Yep,” Magnus replies. “I found it on Fantasy Facebook! A real steal, ain’t it?”

“Taako and I used to live in an apartment fairly close to campus,” Lup says, allowing her brother to take his rightful placing the the kitchen. she comes around with a pitcher of tea and a stack of cups. “Ko was cooped up with Merle and Magnus in the dorms while I was abroad for a while.”

“Sucked ass on both accounts,” Taako shouts from the kitchen. “But I survived.”

“Luckily, this year,” Merle says, reaching for the pitcher. “The whole gang’s lives have realigned in a manner that we were able to get a big ole house together, so that’s been the situation. At least until we’re all done with college for good.”

“Are you all set to graduate soon?” Kravitz asks, grabbing a cup for himself.

“Barold sure isn’t,” Magnus says, giving Barry a sizable pat on the shoulder. “He’s on like his second, maybe third doctorate?”

“Second Doctorate, third masters,” Barry replies, looking up from his computer.

“Nerd,” Lup says, but it’s all loving. She stands behind him and leans over to give him a kiss on the forehead. He blushes, and she heads back toward the kitchen.

“Or Merle,” Lucretia adds. “At this point, no one can tell if he’s a graduate student, teaching assistant, or even a professor for that matter.”

“The mystery continues,” Merle replies.

“Davenport is a tenured professor,” Barry says, closing his laptop. “Lucretia is a teaching assistant. They’ve gotta bit of mileage here too.”

“I’ll get the jam, Ko,” Lup’s voice is heard from the kitchen. “Go hang with your boy.”

There is a distinctly _Taako_ sounding noise of protest, followed by Taako coming around the kitchen counter to join the rest of them at the table.

“I’m gonna start up my own school,” he declares. He plops sideways in a seat beside Kravitz and makes no qualms about throwing his legs onto Kravitz’s lap. “One that blows this Eversummer bullshit out of the water.”

“One way or another, we’re all stuck here,” Merle says, waving a wooden hand at Kravitz. “If you’re not too careful, you’ll get stuck too.”

“I wouldn’t mind that,” Kravitz says, looking over at Taako warmly. Taako smiles just a tiny bit.

“That’s gay,” Lup says, setting a plate of freshly made crepes on the coffee table. “Boing amputee.”

The crepes are beautifully layered with raspberry jelly and a soft, buttery cream. They’re individually wrapped in pink tissue paper. Everyone reaches forward and grabs one. They take a collective moment to enjoy the warmth of the dough and sweetness of the powdered sugar. 

“Hey, babe, you’re a music boy,” Taako says, pausing in his enjoyment of the snack to give the side of Kravitz’s face a poke. “Help us out. We’re coming up with ideas for the fine arts concert.”

Kravitz clears his throat. “This late in the semester?” He asks. “What kind of concert is it?”

“It’s definitely a classical music gig,” Lup says. “We’re just trying to figure out how to liven it up!”

“Liven it up?” Kravitz asks, his brows knitting together. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

“You gotta use your words more carefully, Lulu,” Taako says. “My boy is old school.”

Kravitz shakes his head good-naturedly. “I just have a hard time believing people think all classical music is peaceful or placating. Or even boring. Tchaikovsky did _ not _ put artillery in his music for nothing.”

Magnus blinks in surprise. “Wait he—wait, what?”

“1812 Overture?” Kravitz replies. “It’s used quite often for tv and movie soundtracks, but hardly anyone’s heard the full version with cannons.”

Taako says, “Wait, you mean like—not like, canon in D minor, or like, ya know—story franchise “canon”, but like with—”

“You mean fuckin’ blowing shit out of a literal, goddamn cannon!?” Lup exclaims, her face a brilliant mix of surprise and delight. “I gotta hear this.”

“Sure,” Kravitz says, he reaches for his phone—which is a bit difficult to pull out of his back pocket, what with Taako all on his lap. “I’ll play it for you.” He types in the name of the overture, and orchestral music starts spilling from the speaker.

“Wait,” Magnus says, waving his crepe around, and spilling jam on the table. “Let’s play it in the basement, so we have something to listen to while we get set up for band practice.”

“I should allow it to start early,” Kravitz replies. “The overture is 15 minutes long, and the artillery doesn’t kick in until about nine minutes in.”

“You mean we gotta slog through nine minutes of boring to get to the good part?” Merle asks.

Kravitz frowns. “Firstly, the whole thing is fantastic. Second, I promise the climax is well worth the buildup.”

“THAT’S WHAT HE SAID,” Lup and Magnus shout simultaneously. 

“Oh, for fucks sake!” Taako shouts. Merle bursts out laughing, and nearly starts choking on his own crepe. Lucretia and Barry shoot knowing glances at each other.

“Fuck you guys,” Taako says, rising from his chair. “We’re going downstairs.” He grabs Kravitz’s hand and starts leading him toward the basement.

“Don’t start making out before we can set up the equipment,” Magnus yells after him. Taako flips him off casually and pulls Kravitz further down the stairs.

“The repertoire between you all is very...indelicate,” Kravitz notes. “You’ve must’ve been together for a while.”

“Longer then I’ve been without ‘em,” Taako replies. “Cept with Lup, but that’s a given.”

They enter the basement and opt for sitting on the couch. The music still pours from Kravitz phone, the tempo now picking up the pace. Taako practically curls up around Kravitz, resting his arms around his shoulders. Kravitz wraps and arm around his waist.

“This does sound a bit familiar,” Taako says, glancing at Kravitz’s phone. It’s set on the lock screen, and at first Taako just notices the pop up for the Fantasy Spotify app, through which the overture is playing. But after a closer look, he realizes that Kravitz’s lock screen is a picture of him.

“Mind telling cha’boy when his face became your lock screen, babe?” Taakos asks playfully. Krav picks up his phone and give it a little wave.

“It was from our last date,” He says, clearing the pop up out of the way so Taako has a better view of the photo. “You know, after you sister had sort of...announced herself.” He smirks at his boyfriend. “I know you sneak in selfies with my phone when you think I’m not looking, love.”

“It’s to give you something fun to look at when you don’t have me around,” Taako argues. He leans closer and lowers his voice. “You make your passcodes too easy, babe. I’ll get in one way or another. You can’t stop me.”

“What makes you think I’d ever want to keep you out?” Kravitz murmurs back.

Taako presses a kiss to his lips, hot against his shivering inducing, cool face. They’re both wearing layered clothes, but Kravitz is still so very cold to the touch. Taako’s here for it though, if it means slipping in fun little moments on well-worn couches like this.

Right as they go from cuddling to light groping, the first cannon fires off, startling Taako out of his train of thought.

“OH SHIT!” he exclaims, his attention momentarily back on the phone. A chorus of cathedral bells ring through the robust melody. “Fuck,” Taako says. “You didn’t tell me there were giant fuckin’ church bells in this either!”

Kravitz chuckles. “I thought it would be a fun surprise!”

“Color me surprised for sure!” Taako exclaimed. “Draw me in with the cannons and hold me down with the bells, that’s some dramatical, gay ass shit right there.”

“I’m glad you enjoy it!”

The ringing of the massive-sounding bells echo through the supposedly sound proofed room and carry up the stairs. Another sound of artillery fires off, and footsteps carry themselves down to the basement.

“HOLY SHIT! Are those the cannons?” Lup asks in the doorway, her face bright with excitement. 

Kravitz puts up his hands defensively, “Yes! Sorry, if it’s too loud, I’ll—”

But before he can get a word in edgewise, Lup is already across the room, grabbing the phone and a nearby aux cord. Before Taako or Kravitz can advise against her actions, the phone is connected to the biggest speaker in proximity. Right as the drum rolls pick up and the earth shattering sound of ground artillery fire, pounding drums and heavy brass ricochets from the basement into the rest of the house. The three of them jump back in a rush. Lup practically hollers with every new shot.

“SHIT!” shouts Merle from upstairs. There is the sound of splashing water.

“WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON?” Davenport’s voice calls from somewhere. He apparently came home right as the crescendo started going. Magnus, Lucretia and Barry hurry down the stairs with wide-eyed, worried expressions. They take in the scene of Lup pumping her fists and Taako and Kravitz huddled together on the couch for seemingly dear life.

Lup turns to Barry—her voice barely audible now—and says, “This is going in the wedding soundtrack!”

“_ What? _” Barry shouts, his voice hardly carrying as well. Magnus takes the opportunity to hop over to his drum set and bang out a few extra beats to the music. Lucretia presses two pillows firmly to her head, smiling through the unfathomable chaos. Taako grabs Kravitz’s hand, laughing too hard to say much of anything. He looks delightful, albeit nearly doubled over. Kravitz looks from him, to the others, to the booming speakers. He just smiles back warmly.

The music crescendos one last, uproarious time, before coalescing and quieting into its fantastic, ceremonious end.

In the heat of the silence, Lup turns to Kravitz and says, “Bones, this has given me an idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this one coming out hella late, lads. I promise the next one will be uploaded on time. thank you so much for your comments, I love reading them!


	6. That’s Actually Hilarious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2: Electric Funkaloo

Later that evening, Lup helps Taako wash the dinner dishes. Technically it's Magnus’s week to do dishes, but he dips out after band practice to work at the campus wood shop.

Kravitz left after band practice as well. Right as the manicotti came out of the oven, Taako shoved a fantasy tupperware full of pasta in his hand—telling him he better not rush off without eating something “proper” for once. Kravitz gave Taako a grateful forehead kiss before going, which was immediately followed by a bombardment of Lup's sisterly teasing.

It's much quieter in the house now, with everyone retreated to their rooms for the evening. Everyone except Barry, currently laying facedown on the couch and suffering through the war being waged in his insides, after ingesting all that cheese from dinner. He's no victim, having opted for manicotti and roasted vegetables in spite of his own lactose intolerance. Other than his groaning from the living room, there was nothing in the air but the sound of clinking dishes in the sink.

“You guys didn’t suck this time,” Lup said, handing her brother a soapy pot. “That metronome that Bones gave you guys helped out a lot.”

“Hell yeah,” Taako said, taking it and drying it off. “By this time next week we’re going to be topping charts, Lulu.”

“You excited for the battle? It's like, a week from now right?”

Taako shrugged. " It is what it is. I mean...If we do manage to magically blow up, _ Imma act like I don’t know nobody! _ If we don’t, it really won’t curl my tail in any. I’m mainly there for the afterparty.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Lup replies. She perks up after a beat. “Oh! Speaking of parties—Lemme tell you about something that happened earlier today.”

“Does it have to do with you and Barold’s death crimes radio show?” Taako asks, making a face. “Because I can live without a few of those details.”

Lup scoffs. “You wish, but no. Lydia showed up while I was working in the center. She wanted to hang out with me.”

“She what?” Taako exclaims, letting a plate slip out and clatter in the sink. Lup laughs as he picks it back up. “Why?”

“Fuck if I know,” Lup says, fumbling through the dishwater for any missed utensils. “She let on that it had something to do with that dumb party of her’s, but not much else. I told her to fuck off.”

“Good fuckin’ riddance to her and her brother,” Taako replies. “Did I tell you I ran into Edward at the bus stop earlier today too?”

Lup smirks. “What, did he ask to hang out with you too? Don’t you _ have _ a boyfriend?”

“Don’t _ you _ have a boyfriend?” Taako asks, pointing a thumb over to Barry, still suffering on the couch. Lup looks back at her boy fondly, if also not a little bit concerned for his health. 

“Hey,” she says, turning to her brother. Her expression changes to something akin to excitement. “We both have boyfriends now. Isn’t that crazy?”

“It’s crazy that we’ve got boyfriends at the same time for once,” Taako admits.

Lup grabs his shoulders with her soapy, wet, dish hands-much to his discomfort. She says, “Does this mean you agree to go on that double date with me now?”

“I thought it was gonna be a triple date,” Taako replies, then immediately regrets it.

“Ah ha!” Lup yells. “That confirms it!” She runs out of the kitchen towards the staircase. Taako throws his towel in the sink and runs after Lup.

“Wait! No!” He yells. Barry sits up in confusion as the twins run up the stairs, their footsteps rumbling throughout the house. “Don’t you dare!"

“Too late, I’m putting it in the calendar!” Lup says. “I’m texting Magnus!”

“Lup!” Taako screeches.

“He’s gonna be so excited!” Lup says, before slamming her door behind her. Taako pounds on it with his fist, but it doesn’t budge. He is _ this _ close to transmuting it to water, but he knows that it wouldn’t stop her any. There are few forces on this planet—in this plane—that are stronger than Lup’s will to force domesticity on her brother.

As Taako crosses over to his own room, he realizes he forgot to mention going to elf council to her. _ Oh well, _ he thinks. He’ll tell her after the fact. She’d get a kick out of it. 

As he plops on his bed, his phone buzzes with a text message from Magnus:

**BoDidley: You’re coming on a date with me and Julia??? That’s so great!! Let’s do something tomorrow, after orchestra :D!!**

**FromTV69: can’t. i have a meeting tomorrow. **

**BoDidly: :(**

**FromTV69: i’ll take a rain check on that though. maybe this weekend**

**BoDidly: :)**

* * *

At Not Yet Awake o’ clocking that following Wednesday morning, Taako takes the Neverwinter Metro to get to campus. Squeezed between him is Lup, Merle, and Lucretia. They’re all a bit bleary eyed and disoriented. Lup makes a face as she glances down at her phone, typing frantically. After a bit, she looks up at her brother.

“Guess who’s leading orchestra class today?” she asks. Taako frowns.

“You?” He asks. “What happens to Leon?”

“Some conference came up that he jumped at the chance to go to. Probably to catch a break from all our asses.”

“Why didn’t he just cancel?” Magnus asks, squeezed between one of his drums and the textbook filled backpack of another student.

“Because _ Leon,_” Lup mutters.

“I’m going to turn all his notes into lead and line all his ink with mercury,” Taako grumbles.

“Why don’t you guys just dip out on your own and say you went to class,” Merle says. “It’s not like he’ll know.”

“Can’t,” Lucretia says. She holds up her phone. “He just sent me an email asking if I could come monitor.”

“You’re not even in orchestra!” Taako points out.

“But the music department is supporting the BoB,” Lucretia replies. “And he’s Department Head. I have to set an example for the students involved.” 

“Creesh,” Magnus says. “Now’s a good time to be really cool about a lot of things really fast.”

“Listen boys,” Lucretia says. And the train jerks suddenly. They all get swung to the left. Magus uses his one free hand to grab Lucretia’s wrist before she can topple over. She stumbles momentarily over Merle. “T-thank you Magnus. As I was saying: Leon is thorough, you guys. If he’s thought enough to bring in an outside monitor, he’s thought enough to ask another inside student to be a mole as well.”

“He would,” Merle says, narrowing his eyes.

“Fuck,” Taako says.

“Well, what if we worked really hard the first half and just left early?” Magnus offers.

“He said he left something in the room to be the judge of that,” Lup says, looking through her email once more. “I have no idea what that means, but I don’t trust like that.”

“I’m going to write on all his white boards in permanent marker,” Taako grumbles. 

* * *

“Hey, Ren? Did you know we had an elf student council?” Taako asks, plopping down at a table near the Davy Lamp.

“Uh huh,” Ren replies, without looking away from her textbook. 

It was a bit later in the day, after the 8am class students got their caffeine fix, but before the regular lunch crowd. A good time for Taako and Ren get out of class and to chill before she started her shift. Some orange wedges and bottled green teas rested on a tray between them.

“Like, an elf club, for just elves,” Taako muses. “Like, that’s just a thing we have?”

“Yeah,” She says, now looking up. “I go to the meetings sometimes, but it’s not much more than elf fraternizing bullshit.”

Taako leans back in his chair dramatically. He makes a face. “You mean to tell me that I could’ve been Elf Barack Obama this whole time?”

Ren shoots back an amused look. “Taako, you didn’t know it existed until recently and you already want to jump to presidency?”

“It’s the thought that counts,” he replies. “I’m going tonight.”

“May I ask why?”

“What?” Taako asks, looking offended. “You don’t think I _care_ about the affairs of my fellow elven folk?”

“Not anymore than any other race, no,” Ren says. “And I think I have a pretty good read on you, Taako. You look like you’re planning something.” He smirks at that.

“To be honest…” He fiddles with an orange slice in his hands. “The last thing I want to do is put on airs for a bunch of pointy-eared dipshits with stick up their asses.”

“Practically _ two seconds _ ago you said you cared about the elf folk.”

“I’m talking about the elitist ones, Ren. Not homebodies like you and me.”

Ren deadpans. “I’m so _utterly_ relieved.”

“Really that’s not the _main_ problem,” he says. He glances out the nearby window. “The meeting is _ right _ after orchestra, and knowing how we’ve been doing lately—that’s gonna take forever to get out of. I’ll probably run late anyway.”

“Then just don’t go.”

Taako scoffs. “_Right,_ and let that fuck _ Edward _ think Taako doesn’t have a pulse on the student population? Never!” He suddenly stops fidgeting with the orange. His eyes dance around in thought. “Let’s say I didn’t go. But...what if I did go?”

Ren leans back slowly. “Elaborate.”

“I have _something_ of an apprentice Ren,” Taako says, grabbing his phone. “A pretty darn good apprentice, who may know a thing or two about blending in with the crowd.” He starts typing something.

“I don’t like what you’re implying,” Ren says. “But I’m curious to know what you’re up to.”

Taako grins at her. “Now you’re thinking the Taako way, babey.” 

* * *

“Taako,” Lup hisses from the doorway of the classroom. “We’re about to start and I want to get out of here as soon as everyone else!”

“Gimme a minute,” Taako says back. “I’m waiting for someone!”

“For who?” Lup asks.

“Hello sir!” Angus exclaims, from down the hall. Both Taako and Lup turn to see the young boy hurry toward them. He stops just in front of Taako. “You said you needed me to go on an urgent investigation, sir?”

“That’s right kiddo,” Taako replies. “This’ll be easy as fuck. You remember those disguise spells we’ve been working on those past few weeks?”

“Oh yes sir!” Angus replies. “They’ve definitely come in handy for my missions.”

“Excellent,” Taako says. “Well, here’s the deal: You’re gonna use Alter Self to go around looking like Cha’boy. Then sneak into the elf student council meeting this evening and listen in for me, kay?”

“Elf student council?” Lup says, taken utterly aback. “Wait, we have one of those?”

“Yeah! Crazy, right?” Taako says to her, before looking back at Angus. “Take notes, see what bullshit the Vogue twins and all the other elves are planning, and get the fuck out.”

Lup puts a hand up. “Sending a tiny human kid into a group of shady elves? Koko, I don’t think that’s reasonable.”

“It’s fine,” Taako argues. “He owes me a favor, anyway—”

“It’s true, ma’am,” Agus says to her. “I promised Taako I would do him a favor if he got me a signed copy of Jeff Angel’s new book!”

“Angus,” Lup cuts him off. She crouches down to meet the boy’s eye level. “Pumpkin, there are two entities in this world that you _** do not** want _ to be in debt to: The first is the mob. And the second is my brother.”

“I understand Ma’am,” Angus replies politely. “No need to be patronizing. I’m a very capable boy.”

“That’s the spirit!” Taako says, grinning. He gives Angus a sharp pat on the back. “I’ll text you the deets as soon as we get settled into class. Also, if shit hits the fan, go look for Merle. He probably won’t help much, but he’ll at least give ya a decent ointment if you get a scratch or two.”

“Bail if it gets hairy, Angus,” Lup says.

“You two’s concern is something of note,” Angus says. He looks more curious than anything. “Should I have reason to worry in the company of the elves?”

Taako and Lup glance at each other. 

“...._ No _.” they say together.

“But do _ call us _ if anything goes sideways anyway, okay?” Lup says, rubbing his head one more time for good measure.

“I will!” Angus replies. He starts to turn away. “Good luck with your music practice!”

As soon the little boy runs enough out of sight, Lup punches Taako in the arm.

“Ow!” He exclaims. “What's that for?”

“Really? Elf council?” Lup hisses. “Those vogue motherfuckers? _ Sending the fucking kid?”_

“Like I said,” Taako says, rubbing his arm. “It’ll be fine. It’s at the south botanical garden. Merle will be there.”

“You don’t know how little that comforts me,” She replies, raising a hand to slap the doorframe of the classroom.

They both enter inside, where everyone is already warmed up and expectantly waiting for Leon to show. Lup strides right up to the professor’s podium and slams her sheet music down.

“Guess what, scrubs?” she declares. “Leon isn’t in class today! He’s got a last minute conference call and dipped the fuck out.”

“Fuck yeah!” Robbie yells.

“Does that means class is canceled?” Johann asks.

“'Fraid not,” Lup says, and is immediately responded to with an outcry of boos and groans. 

“Unionize,” Taako chimes in, squeezing between players to find a seat. “Revolt!”

Lup snaps her fingers and a charge of electricity bursts out, quieting the classroom immediately. She sighs. “Here’s the deal, folks. He put me—and Lucretia—say hey to Creesh, everybody—”

They all wave to Lucretia, who, up to this point, was quietly sitting in a chair on the side of the classroom. She waves back. A journal rests open in her lap. A pen already held readily in her hand.

“—in charge of running class,” Lup continues. “And he said that if we don’t sound decent before we leave, he’s going to flunk half the class, and only _he_ gets to choose who to flunk.”

“Decent is kinda vague,” Killian points out. “How the fuck is he supposed to decide that?”

“Great that you asked!” Lup declares. She walks over to a desk and grabs a small device that looks something akin to a baby monitor. She holds it up and gives it a wiggle. “He left us with this bad boy.”

“The fuck is that?” someone asks. Lucretia stands up from her seat and walks over to Lup. The takes the device in her hand.

“It’s an artificing device that he created himself,” she explains. “It measures how well we’re following the music, and how discordant we sound.”

“Aren’t there apps for that?” Carey asks.

“This is Leon we’re talking about,” Magnus says. “Let him have this.”

Lup pointed to a spectrum on the screen of the device. “If we’re in the red, we can’t leave. If we’re in the yellow, we _ could _ leave, but he might get pissy about it. If we’re in the yellowish green, we’re decent enough to go without causing a stink. So if we don’t slack off, we can get out early. Does that sound good to everyone?”

There is a chorus of half-hearted “yeah” and “I guess” and “revolt.”

“Cool! Let’s get started.”

* * *

What is expected to take about 30 minutes takes closer to an hour. The orchestra runs through little more than half the program before stopping to take a break. As soon as the room comes to a silence, one of the brass players yells, “ALRIGHT WHO SQUEAKED?!”

Leon’s machine beeps with a bright red.

Carey tosses her mallets on the marimba and shouts at the other percussionists. “When will you guys get 72 correctly?? That’s my favorite part!”

“For the last time,” Lup says at the piccolos. She leans over the music stand, doing her best to conduct. “I know you’re all bottoms, but please stop relying on each other to come in first. Just pick someone!”

Taako and Magnus opt to stand next to Lucretia as she takes notes of everything going on. Lucretia, being ever so through, was also jointing down the conversations that were currently being had. It was impressive to see her listen and chronicle all the speaking going on at once in such a fluent manner.

“You might wanna cut that bit about the bottoms out,” Magnus said. “I don’t know if Leon would be down for that.”

“Takes a bottom to know a bottom,” Taako says. His phone buzzes in his pocket. He reaches for it, expecting it to be Agnus asking a question pertaining to the Alter self spell. It’s a low level spell, and Angus is a wiley kid. He shouldn’t have any problems with it. But it’s not from Angus. Instead it’s a text from Kravitz:

**BoneDaddy: Are you still in class? I’m nearby. I have your tupperware if you want it back.**

**FromTV69: nah, babe, but come swing by anyway. we’re taking a break rn and looks like we’re not leaving anytime soon <3**

**BoneDaddy: Okay <3**

“Aw,” Magnus says, peeking over Taako’s shoulder. “You do end your conversations with text hearts. That’s cute!”

“Excuse you!” Taako shouts, his voice pitching up and octave. “Invasion of privacy much?” Lucretia chuckled and went back to scribbling in her notebook. Taako pointed a finger. “Don’t you dare write that down.”

Lucretia brings her notebook protectively to her chest. “Why Taako, I would never record your valued secrets.”

Taako leans against the wall in an annoyed huff, which quickly fades away as soon as he spots a familiar face approach the door. Taako leaves Mag’s and Lucretia’s side to go and swing it open with a flourish. 

“Babe!” Taako says, giving him a quick kiss. “Couldn’t get enough of cha’boy, huh?”

“Never,” Kravitz says, smiling. Before he can protest, Taako grabs his hands and pulls him into the classroom. Magnus, on noticing him enter, walks over and give him a fist bump. Kravitz looks from the larger group back to Taako. “How has your class been going?”

“It’s…” Taako glances over at the rest of the orchestra. A handfull of students try going over a particular section. They start out decent, but then quickly fall into disarray and chaos.

“Okay what is the deal now?” Lup asks, spinning around. She puts her hands on her hips. “Was it the violas again?” The viola players sigh dejectedly.

“Actually it was the woodwinds,” Kravitz murmurs. “They just...came in a bit too slow.”

“You picked up on that?” Taako asks, then slaps his forehead. “Dammit it, Krav. You could’ve been here saving our asses this fuckin’ whole time.”

“What?” Kravitz asks, only for Taako—still holding his hands—to drag him across the room towards hi sister and the rest of the orchestra.

“Lup, I got the answer to your problems right here!” Taako declares. 

Lup spins around and brightens upon seeing Kravitz in the room. She points to the conductor’s stand. “Skeletor? You wanna give a go?”

“Oh no,” Kravitz says. “I really shouldn’t—” 

“Oh, you have some musical experience? Have you conducted before?”

Taako throws his arms around Krav’s shoulder. “Some? Let me tell you about this motherfucker right here!” 

Kravitz shoots his boyfriend a pointed look. “Taako, I appreciate the praise but I—it’s not. I don’t—”

“You can play every string instrument under the sun, my man,” Taako says, giving Kravitz’s chest a pat. “No worries.”

“Babe,” Kravitz replies. “One string section does not an orchestra make.”

“Not with that attitude.”

“Listen boys” Lup says, cutting them both off. “Everyone in here is talented as fuck. But we’re honestly not making progress. And one of us might get shoved into a tuba if we continue to let one of our own conduct. If worse did actually come to worse, I’ll take the L.” She smiles. “You can’t have Lup without an L.”

“And I’ll let Leon have it if Lup has to take a fall for any shit.” Taako says to Kravitz. He gives his boy another pat on the back. “You cannot do any worse, my dude,” Believe me.”

“I...guess I get it.” Kravitz says, still apprehensive. He wagers a glance at the sheet music on the stand. “This is...Schubert, symphony No. 8? The unfinished symphony?”

Taako nods. “That it is.” 

“Okay, I’m at least vaguely familiar,” Kravitz says, as he grabs the baton. Lup whistles to grabs everyone’s attention, and the students shuffle back to find their places. 

“Folks,” Taako says to the classroom. “This is my boy, Kravitz. Babe..knock ‘em dead.”

“Ha,” Kravitz says, deadpan. Taako grins cutely back at him and goes to his seat.

As soon as everyone is back in place, Kravitz sighs. He taps the baton on the sheet holder twice, and his body language shifts from nervous to composed. He is, to most folks on campus, aloof at times and a bit terrifying at others. But the Kravitz standing here now, raising his hands above his head, holding his breath until he knew he had everyone’s attention...this was someone entirely new. 

The baton flew in his hands like a wand, and the music was a spell: coiling up and loosening like thread. The cellos and double basses came in softly, chaperoning the more enthusiastic strings. Then followed the lively clarinets and so on, until each section was ushered into playing. 

They were all bound by this subtle, unspeakable spell, moving in a unison that they hadn’t before. The bows rose and lowered gracefully, pages turned when they needed to. The brasses dimmed and the woodwinds echoed and the percussions danced. And it was many minutes later, when their collective energies finally carried through to the double bar lines, that they realized the piece finally was over. The spell was broken, and they had played without a hitch.

Leon's little machine dings with a bright green.

“Holy shit you guys!” Magnus yells. “We actually sounded good that time!” 

“_O Fortuna_ next!” Carey yells.

“Was that magic?” Lucretia asks, blinking. Her hands hover over her notebook. She had started taking notes again, but had gotten caught up in the sound. “I could’ve sworn—”

“Oh, no!” Kravitz says. “Just...regular conducting, I suppose.”

“Nah brother,” Johann says. “I know a bard when I meet one.”

“Yeah, Ghost rider,” Lup says, elbowing Kravitz arm. “Ya got skills!” Taako smiles in a way that he would otherwise brush off as confidence, but anyone knowing him long enough would know it’s adoration.

Kravitz puts the baton on the stand and takes a few steps back. “Luckily enough you’ve met you professor’s criteria,” he says. “I think you can manage well enough without me.”

“Hell no,” Lup replies. She taps the music stand with the baton. “At least get us through _Dies Irae e Tuba Mirum_ before you dip out.” 

Kravitz stops and looks dumbfounded. “You all are trying to play _Dies Irae_ and you couldn’t even get through Schubert?” he asks, sounding almost livid at the idea. The whole orchestra bursts into laughter.

“They’ve been trying to get us on that one for years,” Avi explains. “The choir has managed to straddle it pretty well. But we’ve been having problems with it for as long as I can remember.”

Johann’s brow darkens, “I remember the flute wars.” Everyone nods their heads in solemn remembrance.

“You wanna walk through the first movement and see if we can give it a shot?” Taako asks. Kravitz is quiet for a second, and Taako wonders if maybe he’s pushing his luck. Kravitz, for all he’s known him, was always quite vocal about his change of passions. 

“...Why not,” Kravitz finally says, walking up to the stand once more. Everyone raises their instruments in a cheer. He takes the baton in his hands, ready to bind them all together with another spell.

* * *

As expected, they got out much later than usual. The sky is incredibly dark by the time the class calls it a night and exit the building. Kravitz offers to give Taako and the other’s a ride home.

“You were right about not doing the triple date, Taako,” Magnus says, as they head to the parking lot. “It’s late as fuck.”

“Triple date?” Kravitz asks. Taako waves the question away.

“Clear your calendar, babe,” he replies. “Taako’s got this.

“But...didn’t you say you had a meeting after orchestra?” Magnus points out. Taako stops in his tracks.

“Oh shit!” he exclaims. “Angus!” The rest of them pause at Taako types up a message on his phone. Lup rolls her eyes. Fortunately, Angus responds quickly:

**FromTV69: so what’s the word on the meeting lil man. how’d it go?**

**AngoDango: Got lots of pertinent information, sir! Will debrief with you tomorrow.**

**FromTV69: excellent kiddo. hey, if you’re comin over, what’s the dinner plan?**

**AngoDango: Sesame chicken would be nice, sir. And some fried rice.**

**FromTV69: done n done**

“Like I said,” Taako says, tucking his phone in his jacket. He starts walking ahead of everyone else like nothing happened. Behind him, they shoot each other confused glances. He smiles. “Taako’s got this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut it close but I got it uploaded on the right day. Whoooo! Thank you for bearing with me. The next couple of chapters are gonna be a real doozie.


	7. A Gig is a Gig is a Gig is a Gig

Thursday morning is wet and unforgiving. The sky rumbles with unending thunder and chills the air with soft drizzle. Everyone shuffles out of the Eversummer metro station in dripping raincoats and muddy galoshes. Lup walks arm in arm with her brother, using the same umbrella to shield them both from the downpour. They stay like that from the metro stop to the student center, before parting ways—as she goes to work and he goes to class. 

“I’m taking the umbrella,” Taako declares, swinging it over his shoulder as he turns to leave.

“Get your own, dingus!” Lup yells back.

“Fat chance, goofus,” he replies, before disappearing back through the double doors of the large building. Admittedly, the drizzle has turned into rain again, so it makes sense that he would take it. Lup hopes it’ll stop by the time her shift ends.

As soon as she clocks in, Lup plops down into the nearest swivel chair and rolls around the tiny office space. She starts the regular routine of turning on the monitors and printers. It’s a slow morning. Everyone is winding down after midterms, and no one wants to be out and about in this weather if they don’t have to.

Close to clock out time, she hears a nearby voice call her name, and she glances up just in time to see...Lydia’s smiling face.

“Oh, it’s _ too _ goddamn early in the morning for this,” Lup mutters, rolling her swivel chair towards the desk counter.

“Why...Lup, darling?” Lydia chirps. She’s wearing a bright blue jumpsuit under an iridescent, pink rain coat. Her own frivolous umbrella is covered with sparkles. “What ever could you mean?”

“Okay, Lydia,” Lup says, as even as her patience will allow. “Either check out some tech, or borrow a stapler and leave.”

Lydia drops the saccharine smile. “Can you just fucking listen? _ Please _.”

Lup glares daggers at her, but refrains from doing anything else. She is on the clock after all (not that that ever stopped her before.) Lydia takes the opportunity.

“I am re-extending my offer. Come shop with me Saturday. It doesn’t have to be for the party.”

“Just us?” Lup asks, testing the waters.

“There will be other people there,” Lydia says. “Student reps from the likes of Goldcliff Business Institute and The Rockport School of Artificing. All elves with an interest in what my brother and I are trying to organize here in Neverwinter.”

“Okay, _ why _ are you galavanting with rival schools?” Lup asks. “I thought your party was just for the students here?”

“It’s a cultural festival,” Lydia says. “We want to extend our invitations to all elven university students.”

Lup snorts. “I’ve gotten wind of a few non-elves who have been invited as well. Why go through the trouble of making a show out of exclusivity if you’re not even gonna uphold it?”

“You really didn’t read the invitation,” Lydia sighs. She gives her head a playful shake. “_ Select. _Parties. Darling. Exceptions can and have been made. And since you’re not going, I don’t owe you an explanation.”

Lup isn’t satisfied with that answer. “So you want me to come help you...network?”

Lydia takes a deep breath and measures every word as she speaks. “I want...for us...to be allies...” 

Lup almost laughs. “_ Excuse me? _”

“I know we’re never going to be favorable enough to be friends—”

“Understatement of the century.”

Lydia’s eyes flit upwards in frustration. “You know as well as I do that elven courts are not easy to sway.” She counts on her fingers. “You’re one of the leading researchers on this campus, you’re a pioneer in conjuration magic, and you’re hot as fuck. I need _ power players _, Lup! Someone who can give me—give what I’m trying to do—a chance.”

Lup doesn’t trust like that. As far as she knows, there’s never been anything other than malicious intent to come from the Vogue twin’s actions. She sits down slowly, weighing that against what she could potentially find out. If she plays her cards right.

“You are so _ very _ cold blooded,” she finally says, with just enough begrudging admiration to put a smile on Lydia’s face. She leans back in her chair and asks, “But don’t you know that if you’re trying to impress people, you never bring someone who’s more attractive than you?”

“That’s why I’m asking you to come along,” Lydia replies.

Lup stands up and walks around the desk to face Lydia fully. She leans against a nearby wall and declares, “Taako comes with me.”

Lydia huffs. “But I was really planning on this being more of a girls’ day out.”

“Hell no.”

“_ C’mon Lup, _” Lydia pouts. “My brother isn’t coming. He’s a good planner, but not always the best people person.” She puts up her hands defensively. “I swear, it’ll just be a few hours at the plaza, no tricks, then we part ways.”

Lup considers this. “Alright...on one condition.”

“Name it.”

“We’re shopping right? You have to pay for at least three of the outfits I pick out.”

“Two and a bag, and you have a deal,” Lydia agrees, extending a hand.

“Deal.” They shake on it. Lup’s hand compared to Lydia’s is more callused, firm, and ridiculously powerful. There is a brief flash of magical energy (the ‘Deal Seal,’ as Magnus would call it) and Lydia pulls back her hand quickly, in excitement—and fright.

After a moment she smiles and claps her hands. “Oh Lulu, this is going to be so much fun!”

Lup pounds a fist onto the wall, right next to Lydia’s head. Her pupils shrink to a terrifying degree. Lydia tips back against the wall, caught off balance. Her umbrella falls out of her hand.

“_ No one _calls me that but Taako,” Lup hisses, low enough to keep anyone around from hearing. “Absolutely no one. Do you understand?”

Lydia slips down an inch and looks nervously into Lup’s eyes, feeling the heat coming off her skin. “Of course,” She whispers. 

Lup steps back and flicks a- lock of hair out of her face. The fire dissipates. A confident smile reemerges on her lips.

“See you Saturday then!” She walks back around the desk and clocks out. She slings her bag over her shoulder and strides down the hallway without a glance. Lydia, momentarily shaken, quickly regains her focus and calls after her.

“Wait! I don’t have your number!” She exclaims. “How do I text you the time?”

“Pocket!” Lup calls, without looking back. 

Lydia slides a hand into the pock of her jacket and pulls out a small slip of paper. It is scrawled in quick pen: Lup’s name and number. Lydia looks up and watches as Lup dips between the crowd of students going about their day. She looks back down at the paper in her hands.

And Lydia blushes just a bit.

* * *

Taako, while quickly shedding his raincoat, keeps an eye out for a large, secluded office in an already large and somewhat secluded building. The divination college boasts many esteemed faculty members. But very few with first hand experience with the Celestial Realm, and even less regarding matters specifically of the Astral Plane. Taako himself wouldn’t have any reason to come barge in, were it not for the fact that some handsome, lonely charge of the Raven Queen could use a bit of unexpected company right about now. 

He throws the door to Kravitz’s office open, conjuring up a dramatic shower of sparks to make his presence more known than it already is. 

“Clear your schedule babe!” He yells. “We’re—” He stops mid sentence, actually getting a look at his boyfriend’s taken aback face. Taako goes from excitable to dumbfounded. “Krav...are you wearing glasses?”

Kravitz blinks and immediately slides the otherwise innocuous frames off his face. “M-my eyesight is fine as is,” Kravitz says, nervously tucking them into the breast pocket of his suit vest. “But they do help...a little.”

Taako wheezes. _ “Holyfuckingshit you’re such a nerd.” _ He doubles over like he’s about to fall into a fit. But then, his head snaps up and his eyes belay a rare spark of seriousness. “Lup can _ never _ know.”

“What?” asks Kravitz, immediately worried by his boyfriend's sudden change in demeanor. “Why?”

Taako throws up his arms. “Do you know how much shit I give her just for Barry wearing glasses, my dude?" he says. "How much shit I give ANGUS for wearing glasses? If Lup finds out, she going to rag on you till the heat death of the universe. And she’s gonna rag on me by proxy.”

Kravitz muffles a laugh under a tight lipped smile. 

Taako slides, just a bit distractingly, onto Kravitz’s desk, shoving a few pencils and paper onto the floor. Taako doesn't bat an eye at this. Leaning forward, he tilts his head to the side and gives Kravitz a small smile. “Got any plans this Saturday?” 

“Well—”

“None? Cool. We’re going to the plaza.”

“We’re—something—going on at the plaza?” Kravitz questions. Taako pats his cheek affectionately.

“We are, handsome. I haven’t left this fucking boulevard in a month. I figured the general public needs a reminder that Taako, from TV, is still around and still beautiful. Also...” Taako hesitates and tugs at his collar for a moment. “Also, there’s gonna be a Jeff Angel book signing and D’Jangus has an academic tournament that day so—”

“So we’re going to go there and have a lovely date…” Kravitz continues, catching on. “And if we happen to run into the Jeff Angel signing, we may just...be there for an hour, because why not?” He shrugs. “And afterward we’ll go about our regular day.” 

Taako smiles. “You said it, babe, not me.”

“Does ten in the morning sound okay? I could pick you up a bit later.”

“Nah, s’good, Krav. Signing’s at noon. We _ should _try to get there early, though. Wrestling fans are a high strung bunch.” Kravitz smiles. He knows full well that their date is secondary factor, but he also knows Taako will find a way to make it enjoyable.

“Hey,” Taako says. “Me and the Boner Squad have band practice again today. Wanna come over?”

“I’m afraid I can’t today, love,” Kravitz says. He points to a particularly harrowing stack of paper on the area of the desk that Taako is currently not sitting on. “Work and all that.”

“How disappointing.” Taako slides off the desk and makes like he’s going to leave the office, but Kravitz knows better.

“You’re going to walk out without giving me a goodbye kiss?” he asks, not leaving his seat.

“Oh?” Taako says, in feigned surprise. He flitters a hand through his hair and grins. “So you _ are _interested in having a tryst?”

Kravitz rising, unable to fight down a smile. “It’s not a tryst. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make a habit of busting into my office trying to encourage one.” He glances at the still agape door for anyone coming through the hall. Then glances back as Taako, whose arms are already slipping their way around Kravitz shoulders. “But I won’t discourage an affectionate goodbye.”

“I can work with that,” Taako replies, pressing a kiss to Kravitz’s cool and comforting face. 

* * *

Lup walks until she’s far enough away from the student center to not be at risk of burning it to the ground. The rain let up, but the air was stick flecked with mist. Lup stops in front of a building and leans against the railing of a staircase. After a few minutes of letting her temper cool, she pulls out her phone to send Barry a text:

**TooHotHotDamn: hey babe, something came up for saturday. i don’t know if it’ll conflict with the show. but if it does, do you think you can hold the fort without me? ** **🔥**

She doesn’t have to wait long for him to text back:

**Jusband: I’m sure I can. Though it won’t be nearly as fun.**

**TooHotHotDamn: if worst comes to worst, i’ll make sure to phone in and tell the sexy radio host he’s doing a great job ** **🔥**

**Jusband: Thanks babe. I love you**

**TooHotHotDamn: Love you toooooo ** **🔥🔥🔥**

**TooHotHotDamn: oh! before i forget, triple date with taako and magnus. we gotta make that happen ** **🔥**

**Jusband: We do?**

**TooHotHotDamn: we do. ** **🔥**

**Jusband: So be it.**

“Lup? Fancy seeing you here!”

Lup looks up and sees Lucretia coming out of the building right behind her. She wears a puffy blue jacket, with a journal tucked ever present under her arm. Instead of walking down the stairs, Lucretia perches on the railing Lup is leaning against and slides down to meet her.

“Hey, Creesh,” Lup says, perking up. “I just got off work. You out of class?”

“I still have one more,” Lucretia says, and she holds out her free arm. “Would you offer me the pleasure of your company, and escort me there?”

“It would be an honor, m’lady,” Lup says, taking it. They cross a busy intersection of cars and students, carefully avoiding earthworms that have emerged from the rain soaked ground. 

“Hey, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” Lucretia says. “But I wasn’t sure if I would get the chance to mention it to you, discreetly anyway. I guess now is a good time as ever.”

“Discreetly?” Lup asks, studying Lucretia’s face for a clue.

Lucretia smiles in a way that is just too knowing and says, “I would like for you to keep this thing a secret.”

Lup raises a brow, her attention had.

* * *

That afternoon, Taako walks briskly from the metro station to the home house. He knows Agnus is coming over later to report on what happened at the elf council meeting. What he doesn’t know is that Angus is already seated at the kitchen table as soon as Taako walks through the door. He greets the kid with a look of surprise, “Oh, hey McDangus—w_hy the fuck are you covered in bandages??? _”

He gestures at the array of brightly colored, duck-patterned band aids currently scattered across Angus’s arm, legs, plus one on his forehead.

Angus bows his head sheepishly. “Sorry sir. They’re mostly scratches. I had to duck into a bush at the last second yesterday and accidentally landed in a thorny thicket.”

“Yeah, they get pretty feisty,” Merle says, coming from the kitchen with a pitcher of lemonade and a stack of cups. “But, you can’t have a blossom without a little bite.”

“Disgusting,” Taako says. He pulls up a chair beside Angus. “Why’d you have to hide, little man?”

“The Alter Form spell only lasted an hour, sir.” Angus explains. “The council was in the midst of a discussion when it wore off. I ducked away before anyone noticed, though. And Mr. Merle already healed some of the worse scrapes.” Merle nods his head at this and pours them all a drink.

“Thorn scratches builds character,” the dwarf replies. “I’ve rubbed against a few thorns in my day.”

“Disgusting,” Taako says. Merle shrugs and climbs out of his seat.

“Maggie and I will start setting up for practice,” he says, “Come on down when you’re done listening in on the villain's evil scheme.”

As soon as the dwarf heads down stairs, Taako reaches out and ruffles Angus’s hair. “You happen to get much info for me?” he asks.

“Oh, of course sir!” Angus replies. He pulls a cellphone from his pocket. “I recorded the meeting.”

“Really?” Taako asks, leaning forward. Angus pulls up the app.

“Well, most of it,” he replies. “I was worried they might get suspicious because I didn’t hang too close to anyone, so after a bit I took to writing notes instead.”

“See, I told Lup you wouldn’t die,” Taako scoffs. "You're capable as fuck."

“Would I have?” Angus asks, eyebrows raised.

“Not important,” Taako says. He taps on the table impatiently. “Press play already.”

Angus presses play.

**“Taako!” ** says Edward’s voice, clear as day. **“Pleasure to see you here. You’ll have to forgive me, but I’m actually surprised you made it.”**

**“That makes two of us,” ** says Taako's voice. **“Got any reshfremsnt for cha’boy?”**

“Holy shit is that my voice?” Actual Taako™ asks, taken aback by the audio of himself.

“I’ve gotten _ very _ good at Alter Self, sir,” Angus says proudly.

“And acting apparently,” Taako says. “Keep this up and I might send you to class for me.”

“That’s illegal sir.”

“Never stopped me _ or _ Lup before, kiddo. Keep it playing.”

**“Table near the azaleas,”** Edward’s voice continues. **“I hope you’ll stay for the whole meeting. We have ** ** _so_ ** ** much to discuss.”**

**There is the sound of a chorus of voices. Some familiar, but not too familiar. After a moment. The sounds get louder as everyone gathers around.**

**Alright everyone,” ** Edward says. **“The meeting will now come to order.”** The voices quiet down immediately. Edward continues, ** “As President of the Elven Student Council, I’d like to welcome all returning members and newcomers.” ** There is a short round of applause. **“We will start off with a reading of the minutes from last week’s—”**

“Skip to the part about the elf party,” Taako says. He waves his hand at Angus’s phone. “I don’t care about that other shit.”

“But a lot of what was discussed was actually quite pertinent to university functions,” Angus says, genuinely perturbed. 

Taako narrows his eyes. “I’m pertinent to Taako functions, kid. Skip it.” 

Angus rolls his eyes and pushes the audio to about thirty minutes in.

**“—onto the matter of the upcoming Wave Echo Rave,” **saysEdward.

“There we go,” Taako exclaims.

**“Our event coordinator, Magic Brian, has a report. Brian?”**

**“Yes! How abzolutely splendid to zee so many new faces!” ** Brian’s voice says. ** “In terms of ze venue, overhead, and insurance, ve are all set to go. However, due to tight scheduling vith other events occurring around ze campus, ze rave committee is having difficulty securing catering and entertainment that fits vithin our budget.”**

**“The elven council has addressed these concerns,” ** Edward says. **“Our VP, Lydia—who could not attend tonight’s meeting due to an exam—has already scheduled lunch with potential donors to help bolster said budget this weekend. She’ll report to us before the next meeting, since the party ** ** _is_ ** ** the following Saturday.”**

**“If any of you have suggestions.”** Magic Brian says, ** “Feel free to bring it to either Edward or I!”**

“That’s where I stopped recording sir,” Angus says, and indeed the audio cuts off soon after. “I do have my notes if you need to look over them.” He tucks his phone in his pocket. “To be quite honest, sir, the whole meeting felt rather plain. I had no inclination of anything malicious going on.”

“That’s what they want you to think, Ango,” Taako replies. He throws his arms behind his head and leans back in his chair. “But you did good. You might have given Ole Taako something to work with.”

As soon as he says that, Lup walks through the front door. She notices Angus sitting at the table with her brother and says, “Oh, Angus is here, hey—_ WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU COVERED IN BANDAGES?” _

Her disbelieving look flickers from Angus to Taako. Taako looks down at Angus and frowns.

“Yeah, D’Jangus!” he exclaims, crossing his arms. “Didn’t I tell you be more careful? You could’ve died!”

Angus opens his mouth to retort, but Lup cuts him off with, “So you’re going to heap all the blame on the kid?”

“Yep,” Taako replies. He stands up from the table and points upstairs. “Angus, go to your room.”

“I don’t live here, sir,” Angus says, crossing his own little arms. “You can’t punish me here.”

“The FUCK?” Taako exclaims. “Dammit, now we gotta get him a room.” He huffs. “Fine, go to MY room then. You’re grounded until further notice.”

“Wait? Grounded? But sir—”

“No butts!” Taako casts levitation and within seconds Angus is lifted off his feet and whisked unceremoniously towards the stairs with a wave of Taako’s hand. His small voice is heard protesting all the way up. Taako turns back to Lup. She gives him a pointed glare.

He ignores it and says, “So that elf party, right?”

_ “Taako.” _

“They’re currently in need of a caterer, right?”

_ “Koko.” _

“Caterer and entertainment, right?”

Lup rubs her face with her hands. “A, I really don’t fucking like what your train of thought is. And B, We’re not going.”

“Unless...” Taako says. 

“Unless?”

“Just wait and see Lulu,” He offers.“Just because we’re not going doesn’t mean we can’t stir up some fun remotely.” He grabs his untouched cup of lemonade and takes a swig. He immediately makes a face. “Gah, Merle can’t sweeten a lemon to save his life.”

“I think I'm going to chill upstairs,” Lup says decidedly, walking past her brother and out of the dining room. “Knowing you guys have band practice this evening, I’ll have to put up a silencing barrier if I want to get any homework done. Plus Ango’s not going to unlevitate himself without help.”

“What about you?” Taako calls, still in the dining room. “Did you have anything happen today?”

Lup pauses right at the base of the staircase. She thinks over her earlier conversations. She makes a decision.

“Nope,” She says, and slowly ascends. “Nothing at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this was late!!! This past week was very involved and that's my own doing.


	8. All our Shows are Secret Shows

Lup heads upstairs and goes directly to Taako’s bedroom. She leans against the doorframe.

“All right, Holmes,” she says, giving Angus an amused look. He hangs, suspended two feet in the air, above Taako’s bed. The little boy holds his arms crossed, pouting at his current predicament. Lup snaps her fingers, and the levitation spell dissipates. Angus falls into the pile of pillows and stuffed animals beneath him with a tiny “oof!” Lup smiles as he disappears into the fold. She pulls a chair from Taako’s vanity and sits down in front of the bed. “Give me the scoop on what went down at that council meeting.”

The pile of fluff wiggles, as Angus slowly worms his head out. He struggles for a bit, then manages to free an arm, with small notebook in hand. 

“Here are all the main points of the council’s agenda, ma’am,” He says, extending it to Lup.

She takes it and reads the list out loud: “Candlenights fundraiser, Wood shop Graduate Exhibition, Wave Echo Rave, blah, blah, blah...Battle of the Bands?” She stops and looks up at Angus. “Wait a second, what does the elf council have to do with the BoB?”

Angus wiggles the rest of his limbs free. He looks like a baby bird sitting in a nest as he replies, “The elf council collaborates with a lot of campus events. The BoB and the cultural festival are both taking place at the Neverwinter Theatre next week.”

“Huh,” Lup said. “That’s...something.” She reads off the rest of the list and hands it back to Angus. “Lucretia is coordinating director of the BoB. She’d know about that, right?”

“I would assume so,” Agnus replies.

Lup leans back in her chair and muses for a bit. “Creesh is shrewd. She knows plenty of people in the music department. One of them is bound to be a bridge between the two organizations.”

“From what I could tell,” Angus continues. “Everyone at the meeting was very genuine in their efforts to back these events honestly. But that was only one meeting, and we don’t know what other organizations are being worked with.”

“Right,” Lup says. “This isn’t just two dipshits and some lackeys. This is a whole campus organization. Buuuut...I didn’t know elf council was a thing until two days ago. It’s probably fine.”

“Unless it’s a pyramid scheme,” Angus points out.

“Unless it’s a pyramid scheme,” Lup agrees. She gives him a bright-eyed grin. “But the elves around here are still pretty cool. Right, Ango?”

“Right, ma’am,” he replies with a smile. Lup leans forward and affectionately ruffles his hair. She can’t fathom why her brother is so mean to this kid. He’s a gem!

They’re both quiet after that, thinking the particular situation over. In their silence, they can hear the sound of an accordion playing down stairs.

“Sounds like they’ve begun,” Lup says. “Time to put up that barrier,” As she reaches the doorway, she pauses. 

Taako’s voice sings: _ “When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city, to see a marching band.” _

Aside from the initial roll of drum beats, the volume of the music softens. She steps out of the bedroom and walks down the hallway to the banister. The accordion, instead of sounding jaunty, sounds somber, picking up a minor key that would otherwise be consigned to a piano.

_ “He said, "Son, when you grow up, would you be the savior of the broken, beaten, and the damned?" _

She blinks to the first floor and stops short of the stairs leading to the basement. Lucretia and Davenport are also standing nearby, listening in to the sound. Angus’s footstep pitter pat down the stairs, as he too follows the sound of the music. Taako’s voice carries through the open door:

_ “He said, "Will you defeat them? Your demons and all the non-believers? The plans that they have made?” _

Lup heads downstairs and peaks into the room, with the other three trailing close behind. Merle, Magnus, and Taako are on their usual spots on the stage, each sporting music stands. Taako glances up at her briefly, before continuing the verse:

_ “Because one day, I'll leave you, A phantom to lead you in the summer, to join the black parade.” _

“Lup!” Magnus says, noticing her in the doorway. “Check this out!”

He motions at a large, wooden contraption sitting beside him. It looks like two stands with a beam across the middle. Hanging along the beam are a line of brass handbells, followed by a confusing arrangement of gears. A wheel with a crank is attached to one side of beams. Magnus gave it an easy turn, and the series of bells ring with surprising beauty against the guitar and accordion.

“You built that?” Lup says, coming over to get a closer look. Taako and Merle pause in their playing, and Lup plops into a beanbag chair. Davenport and Lucretia share the couch, with Angus taking the other bean bag chair.

“Julia and I designed it,” Magnus replies. He points at the gears. “You can change the arrangement of the bells to get a different sound. It’s gonna part of our fall show, but I thought it’d be cool to test here too.”

“How do we sound?” Merle asks. He shrugs.“Not a hot mess, I hope?”

“You have my seal of approval, sirs!” Angus says.

“Definitely not a noise complaint,” Davenport replies, giving his own nod of approval.

“I could hear you guys from upstairs,” Lup says. “And, honestly, you guys sound real good.”

“Concert good,” Lucretia agrees. The trio shoot surprised looks at each other. They had been playing for a while now, yet they were unused to such positive sentiment. 

Lucretia takes an opportunity to glance at one of the sheet music stands. “You guys arranged all this yourself?”

“Hell yeah,” Taako replies. “Took a bit of hashing out. But we supplemented the bass with the accordion.”

“We also decided to put a bit of the rhythm guitar in with the drum beats.” Magnus notes. “If we get a guitar loop in time for the show—”

“I know an antique place that might have one or two,” Merle interjects.

“You actually managed to effectively pass around the braincell between the three of you,” Lup says, impressed. “And yet—” She slaps the side of her bean bag chair. “You’ll show tender loving care for Black Parade while leaving that butchered version of Mr. Brightside in a ditch?”

“Consider that as payback for those gross petri dish photos,” Taako shoots back, to Lup’s visible displeasure. “That’s right, I remembered all the way back from chapter one! You can’t get past me with that shit.”

“Is this song you’re performing for the BoB?” Lucretia asks. “Because I think we had you down with the demo song, but we can change it.”

“I say we stick with this song,” Merle says, to Taako and Magnus’s surprise.

“You were so opposed to anything other than country music, old man,” Taako says, smirking. “You sure you can handle this ‘music of the youths?’”

“I mean, we sound good _ now _,” Merle replies. “You gotta know when to hold ‘em and now when to fold ‘em.”

“If you guys are good, I’m good,” Magnus says. Lucretia pulled out her phone and made a note of it.

“Black parade it is,” she said. She glances at the three of them. At Magnus’s puppy print hoodie with the sleeves torn off, Taako’s oversized t-shirt that reads “Big Dictator Energy” and Merle’s shirt and shorts of two different Hawaiian prints. “And you are going to have fitting attire for your performance, correct? It’s not mandatory but—”

Taako puts up a hand. “It’s cool. Cha’boy’s on it. Me and the boyfriend are going clothes shopping this weekend.”

Lup’s ears perk up at the sound of that. “Taako,” She says. “Twin talk.”

Taako shoots her a look. “Now?” He glances at Merle and Magnus, who just shrug in response.

“Now.” She doesn’t bother to check if he is following as she gets out of the beanbag and walked toward the basement steps.

“Back in five I guess?” Taako says to his bandmates, and slips off his guitar

“You handle your business,” Merle replies. He looks at Lucretia and Davenport and gives his accordion a squeeze. “Hey, you guys wanna hear a tune I just learned? It’s great for jigs!”

Taako was at least glad to escape the majority of Merle’s Dwarven Jig. Lup waits for him at the top of the staircase. She is leaned against a wall, looking less serious than he really expects, considering they only have Twin Talk when it’s about something especially serious between the two of them.

“Alright, hit me,” Taako says, bracing himself for whatever she has to say.

Lup stands up straight and says. “Ko, why do I have the inkling feeling that all this is because of Kravitz?”

His head jerks at that. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Babe, Black Parade? Really? the fucking bells—”

Taako puts up a defensive hand. “Okay, first of all, _ you _ of all people should now that MCR is tier one goth and everyone can—and does—head bang to Black Parade. As for the bells, Magnus built that one himself, for his own, completely unrelated thing,”

“And you found a way to incorporate it into your thing,” Lup points out. “Let me guess: you were gung ho about it the moment you caught sight of it.” Taako flicks her arm with annoyance. She draws back a laugh. “I am just addressing the fact that the influences you’re taking from Ghost Rider are less shallow than you think.”

“Point addressed,” he replies. “Can I go back downstairs?”

“No, because that was _ a _ point. Not _ the _ point.”

“Ugh,” Taako whines. It’s an arbitrary rule, but he and Lup have an agreement that twin talk can’t be over until the point of the discussion is made. “Okay, what is it?”

“What I am saying is, as you sister, who knows you, and knows that you guard your own heart stronger than a dragon guards its horde—”

“The _ point. _”

“Koko,” she says, in her ‘I love you so much’ voice. The voice that makes Taako feel more vulnerable than he’d ever allow himself to be with anyone else. She puts her hand on his shoulder and says. “I’m not saying you should pull a Magnus, and rush in. But it won’t kill you to at least...I don’t know, tell him how you feel? And do it soon, because I need to know when to send out wedding invitations.”

Taako rolls his eyes and pulls away from her. “Twin talk is over.”

“Reception planning!” Lup says, playfully. “I need to order my bridesmaid dress in advance!”

“Over!”

They’re both halfway down the stairs when Lup says, “Oh! One more thing.”

Taako stops, and turns toward her. He makes a face that says he open to one last question, if it’s not a silly one.

“You said you were going out with him this weekend?” she asks. “When and where?”

“Lup, we’re not double dating this one, I swear—”

She blows a raspberry at him. “I’m being serious.”

Taako shrugs. “I don’t know. Some vintage shops maybe, not to far outta town. I figured Kravitz would know some good spots to fit the whole “Emo teen idol” vibe.”

Lup laughs and throws up her hands. “I call dibs on your wedding cake!”

“Okay, fuck no,” Taako replies, pointing a finger at her. “No one makes Taako’s wedding cake but Taako.” He turns around and hurries down the rest of the stairs.

Lup follows closely after. She says, “You guys sound like winners with this one boys,” to the others. Merle is just finishing up his jig, which Magnus and Lucretia look less than entertained by. Angus is too focused on Magnus’s bell contraption to register a reaction. Davenport looks absolutely delighted by the jaunty music, clapping as soon as it ends. Lup leans over the couch. “Can’t wait to see how you handle the competition.”

“What competition?” the trio chorus together confidently, before shooting each looks. They pick back up where they let off, pausing only occasionally to make a note about a change they want to make on the arrangement. It’s almost fun, watching the three of them play off each other, in terms of both music and personality. The four audience members give what little feedback as they can, before remembering that they all have homework to tackle in one way or another.

“You boys have fun,” Lup says, heading back towards the ground floor. “I’ll start on dinner, since no one around here knows when to eat at a decent time.”

Lucretia, trailing behind, picks up a step beside her. With the music partially drowning out her voice, she leans toward Lup and says, “So? Would you be able to do it? What we talked about.”

“Oh, I’m on board,” Lup replies. “I’ll have to talk to Barry when he gets home, but he needs to take a step back from his papers anyway. We’re going to have to get reeeeeeal creative for that third party though.”

“Let me know how that turns out,” Lucretia says. “I know the schedule is tight, but I think it'd be really cool if this works out.”

“You and me both, Creesh,” Lup says, giving her a thumbs up.

* * *

The following Friday morning, Lup hurries downstairs, fully dressed and ready to go. She’s up a bit earlier than usual, hoping to catch the metro before everyone else drags themselves out of bed. She is surprised to find Barry also downstairs, sipping a fresh cup of coffee in the kitchen. His schedule usually consists of being up at all hours of the night, either experimenting on campus or typing out a paper on what he had been experimenting on. Being such a terrible night owl, Lup had convinced him to get all night classes for the past year. Which, sadly, removed the luxury of hanging out with him first thing in the morning.

“What a pleasant surprise.” She says, immediately striding over to give him a kiss. “I’m not so usually blessed to start off my day with you like this.” He smiles and wraps his arms around her.

“I have a lecture today,” he explains. “Something to do with the mold spores.”

“Are you presenting?” Lup asks.

“Nope, lucked out and got stuck on powerpoint duty.”

“Fantastic,” she says, and gives him another smooch.

“Gross-a-rooni,” Taako’s voice carries from across the room. Lup and Barry ignore him as he comes downstairs—bedhead and bed robe in tow—and enters the kitchen. “I can’t go one morning without you two causing a scene.”

Lup sticks her tongue out at him, squeezing Barry closer to her. 

Barry smiles and asks her, “You need a ride? I was planning to drive anyway.”

“Give me a ride too, Barold,” Taako demands, before Lup can reply. He grabs a mug and the somewhat fresh pot of coffee. “Don’t make me walk halfway there, like a peasant.”

“I don’t know, Taako,” Lup says, devilishly. She hasn’t let Barry out of her embrace. “I don’t think I’d be able to keep my hands off him on the ride there. We may have to pull over.” Barry laughs and puts his hands on her waist.

“It’s too goddamn early for this,” Taako says, dumping two heaping spoonful and a decent amount of cream into his drink. “I’m taking the metro. Later.” He pads out with his mug.

As soon as he’s out of hearing distance, Barry glances up at Lup and asks, “Was there something you want to talk about alone?”

“Yeah,” Lup replies. “We can chat during the car ride.” She smiles again, a lot softer now. “But I wasn’t kidding about barely taking my hands off you.”

“Ditto,” he replies.

They shortly head out the door and buckle into Barry’s car, parked right beside a large white van with the name “Starblaster” painted in large, colorful letters for the entire neighborhood (and a good part of Neverwinter) to see. Everyone in the house gets a kick out of it, considering Davenport was always big on social appearances. Yet the day he came home with that thing, neighborhood gossip lit up like a firestorm.

As they pull out of the driveway, Lup asks, “How busy are you this upcoming week?”

“Well, there’s the mold thing,” Barry replies. “Which is being presented today. Depending on how much I want to focus on my own dissertation, I might let Lucas run a class or two but—”

Lup laughs. “We’ll have to see where that goes.”

“No kidding. And then there’s the radio show.”

“You sure you can handle that?” she asks, leaning closer to him.

“I got it,” Barry says. “We’ve got enough buffer to last the next month or so.”

“Cool, because there’s this thing we should do that I think would be really fun.”

“Is this about the triple date?” Barry asks. “Knowing Merle, he’ll try to sneak a plant in and make it a quadrupole date.”

“No, but, you’re right. We’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen.” she leans back in her seat. “This is something a bit spur of the moment. I don’t wanna put pressure on you if you’re already overworked.”

“Being overworked never stopped me from doing something for you before,” he replies.

“I know,” Lup says, squeezing his arm. “It’s one of your worst _ and _ best traits.”

* * *

“Hey Lucretia,” Magnus asks, in his usual squished spot between other tightly packed students on the early morning metro “When are the brackets for the BoB going up?”

“Yeah,” Merle adds, opting to sit on top of a large rolling backpack instead of a proper seat. “Isn't the first round next Wednesday?” 

“Sorry for cutting it so close guys,” Lucretia says. She’s holding on to a nearby pole for dear life. “We’ve been waiting for feedback from some other entries. I promise it’ll be up by Monday morning.”

“If you don’t let us know we’ll just do our own gig,” Taako replies. Instead of opting to stand or take a seat like a normal person, he’s perched on a handrail by the nearest door. “Who needs promotional events when you’ve got a natural talent?”

“Yeah, we’ll do our own concert!” Magnus yells back excitedly. “Instead of battle of the bands, it’ll be the battle of these hands.”

“Tres Horny Boys,” Merle chimes. “Live in Neverwinter! One night only!”

Lucretia chuckles good-naturedly. “I assure you, the board of the BoB have been working hard to get everything organized and ready to go.”

“Who all is on the board with you?” Magnus asks.

Lucretia thinks. “Let’s see...I’m coordinating, Brad is doing communications, Lucas is doing technical, Magic Brian is doing venue—”

“Magic Brian?” Taako asks, cutting her off. He was only half listening, but the name brought his attention back. “Isn’t he part of elf student council? They’re doing that Wave Echo...palooza or some shit.”

“Yes, he is,” Lucretia says, a bit taken aback. 

“Weren’t you invited to the party thingie,” Merle asks. “Even though you’re not...well, you know, an elf? Can non elves join now?”

Lucretia puts up a hand. It’s her, _ ‘I’m about to use my diplomatic voice’ _ hand. The train pulls to a stop. Not the one they’re waiting for, but one that allows enough people to get off so that the four of them are able to face each other properly.

“Believe me,” she says. “I’ve looked into it. The council was interested in hosting their cultural festival at the Neverwinter Theatre next Saturday, and since the BoB will be held the three nights prior, the council offered to help cover venue costs in exchange for volunteers and resources for the night of the party.” She pulls back her hand. “The invitation was their way of being charitable. Albeit in a very...unorthodox way.”

“Charitable,” Taako repeats, disaffected.

“I’d tread lightly with that one, Miss Director,” Merle says.

“I assure you,” Lucretia says, and she speaks with her usually sincerity. “Once the BoB is over, the last thing I want to do is go to a party. Organizing this thing has taken away twenty years of my life span.”

Magnus pats her on the shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll turn out great!” he says, and she smiles appreciatively. 

They get off at their proper stop. As the train pulls away, Merle asks, “Can’t you just give the invitation to someone else? I don’t think you need to be beholden to it if you don’t plan to go.”

“Knowing those dipshits,” Taako starts. “They probably have a list of attendees. Your best bet is to just to burn the thing.”

“Do you still have your invitation?” Magnus asks. 

“Shit,” he mutters, realizing his and Lup’s invites are still on his desk back home. He hadn’t had much time to formulate his Stupid™ plan yet, but he knew that if it were to work, he’d have to keep those invitations intact for the time being.

“You could just let Lup burn ‘em when we get back,” Merle suggests. “Since you’re not going.”

“Right,” Taako says, a bit too bluntly. “Not going. Definitely not going.”

Lucretia doesn’t register this as she reaches into her bag. She pulls out her envelope, which had been clearly opened, but the contents still remained inside.

“Here,” she says, handing it to Taako. “You take this. Do what you want with it. I could deal with a little less trouble in my life.”

“Couldn’t we all,” Merle agrees, and the four of them start walking to their respective classes. Taako gives the envelope a dubious glance, before tucking it in his bag and heading off.

* * *

“SUP GHOST RIDER!” Lup yells, bursting into Kravitz’s office with as much panache as she can muster. The effect is operative, what with Kravitz suddenly dropping a file full of _ a lot _ of important looking documents to the floor. Lup saunters over to him, with the decency to at least help pick them off the floor.

He sputters a response. “Lup? H-how did you find my office?”

“Gothic hotspot,” she replies, handing the papers to him. “All the edgelords hang around places like this. But that’s not the point of interest here.” She taps the side of her face and smiles. “You never mentioned wearing _ glasses _before.”

“_Oh, shit_,” he whispers, visibly wincing. Lup hums thoughtfully. 

“Did my brother tell you to keep this a secret from me?” she asks.

“No,” Kravitz says flatly.

“You’re a terrible liar,” she replies, turning away from him. She glides across the room and props an arm atop a nearby shelf. Kravitz leans against his own desk, bracing himself for whatever oncoming teasing he can expect from her. Endearing Taako’s teasing, despite them being in love with each other, he knows that Lup can be just as hard hitting. Lup, however, stands thoughtful for a moment, and then straightens.

“Let’s make a deal, Skeletor.”

“A deal?” He asks, raising a brow.

“How’s your schedule looking?” she asks, walking back towards him. “Cuz I’ve got a gig I need filled, and I have a shortage of strings players who don’t act like their bows are stuck up their asses.”

“Lup, I am very busy,” Kravitz says. “I don’t know if I could take on an event at such short notice. Much less one music related."

“Aw, too busy to help your future sister-in-law?” 

“My what?” he asks, taken aback. 

She gestures widely at the files on his desk. “Look, I’ll assist you in whatever death-related shit you’ve got going on that requires _ all _ this fucking paper work! And I’ll even get Barold involved. If the two of us can somehow wring out a thesis from the mangle scribblings of a poorly-decoded, cursed language, we can certainly get you a better filing system.”

“IF I help you with your event, you help me with work?” Kravitz asks, making as clear as he can the gist of this whole ensuing situation.

“And I won’t let Taako in on the fact I know he’s just as big of a nerd lover as I am,” Lup says. She stretches out her hand to shake.

“You two have a _ strange _ code of ethics but—” and he stretches out his hand, “—you have a deal.”

They spend the next ten minutes working out something of a manageable schedule, until Lup is satisfied enough to make a note and whisk herself out of the office. She stops just short of the doorway, turning around yet again.

“One last thing.”

Kravitz, no longer bothering to hide just how overwhelmed he’s become, says, “May I ask what that is?”

Lup smiles at him, a far friendlier smile then before. “You’re a pretty good dude, Krav.”

His face belays mild confusion. “Thank you?”

“My brother’s an idiot,” she continues, shaking her head. “But he’s crazy about you, and I doubt he’ll do anything to screw that up. And I just wanted you to know...I approve.”

His expression softens. “Thank you, Lup.”

“You’re welcome,” she replies backing out. As she does, she puts her hand, in the shape of an L, to her forehead. “Later, Nerd!”

As she disappears down the hall, he can't help but smile.

* * *

“So I was thinking Vivaldi?” Lup says to Johann, standing right outside the music room. 

Johann shakes his head. “I will take Mozart and nothing less.”

“You call Vivaldi less!?” She says, incredulous.

Students pour in for orchestra practice, carefully dodging around the two. Some are already warming up inside.

“It’s fine,” Killian says to Avi. She rubs an ear. “I can’t hear the haters because the trombones made have made me deaf.”

“You guys want the good shit or the usual?” Robbie whispers to one of the Hammerheads.

“The usual,” Maarvery replies, glancing around the room. Robbie reaches into his tuba and pulls out some questionable looking potion vials. They don’t look at each other as he passes it along.

“Alright everyone,” Leon says, rubbing his forehead. “Settle down.” He is present for class this time around, but it is clear that he is very opposed to being there, and the students feel equally opposed to his presence. They continue to talk over him. Taako and Magnus slip in at the very last minute, whether intentionally or not, it manages pisses Leon off.

“I’ve noticed the veritable improvement you all have made,” Leon says, glaring at the duo as they take their seats. “I hope you’ll show that same musical spirit at the concert. _ Taako. _”

“Maybe if you can get a hot boy to conduct for us, I will,” Taako shoots back. 

“Right,” Leon says, addressing the rest of the group. “Dress rehearsal is Friday at 7:30, be there at 7. Outside events notwithstanding.”

“But the last round of the BoB is Friday Night,” Johann pouts. Everyone else joins in the disapproving sentiment.

“_ Outside events notwithstanding, _” Leon repeats. There is a chorus of boos and grumbles. Taako dings his triangle in protest. Leon sighs and relents a little bit. “Fine. six o’clock, if you can manage. If you’re prompt, we’ll be over and done by 8 at the latest. But I want you all at your absolute best. Understood?”

Everyone stares at him, still a little put out. Lup stands up again.

“Ya got that?” She asks, looking ready to fire off another spell.

“Yeah,” comes the discordant, cacophonous reply.

* * *

That evening, Lup gets an unfamiliar text:

**Unknown: hey, this is lydia.**

It takes all of Lup’s mental stamina not to roll her eyes. She’s sitting up in bed, bent over a laptop and a ten page paper on thermodynamics. Barry is fast asleep beside her, a warm, comforting presence. They had gotten into the habit of sharing the bedroom, since his room was more of a lab then a place to get some rest. She replies to the text, quick and decisive.

**TooHotHotDamn: Hey ** **🔥**

**Unknown: meetup is at 9, does that work for you? **

Lup sighs, it’s not cutting things too close, with the radio show being at twelve thirty. But it is earlier than she’d like. Before she gets another message from Lydia, she renames the contact.

**ThisBinchHere: I know it’s kinda early for a Saturday. There’s a coffee shop right outside the Fantasy Macy’s. We can meet there**

**TooHotHotDamn: that sounds like a decent plan. See ya there. ** **🔥**

A thought comes to her, and she fires off one more message

****TooHotHotDamn:** quick question, do i have to dress up or anything? Like? Business casual or something **🔥

**ThisBinchHere: Oh no. you can dress however you want.**

****TooHotHotDamn:** cool. oversized t-shirt and sweatpants it is. **🔥

That was meant to be a joke. To be honest, she hadn’t meant to send it. But it was was sent before she could think about it, and she couldn’t care less how Lydia would react.

A moment later, another text pops up.

**ThisBinchHere: pfft. I expect nothing less **

_ So that’s how it is_, Lup thinks. She sends a delightful _ fuck you_, before muting the chat. She’s maybe determined to get some actual homework done.

Two seconds later, Lup grabs her phone again, messaging a different person.

**TooHotHotDamn: hey creesh? ** **🔥**

**Booyah: yep?**

**TooHotHotDamn: we’re in. ** **🔥**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thick plottens! Thank you so much for reading. I hope you are enjoying this so far!


	9. It’s not a race guys (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter became such a chonky boi that I decided to split it in two! The next chapter will be coming up tomorrow, just gotta make sure I've got all the info in there!! Thanks for reading!

Lup wakes up super early Saturday morning. Barry stays asleep right beside her, his breathing quiet, save for the occasional snore. She gives him a soft kiss on the temple before slipping out from under the covers.

She crosses the room and peeks out the door to make sure no one else is awake. She then makes an immediate dash for the bathroom. The bathroom on the lower floor was fixed (gratefully) Wednesday. But out of force of habit, everyone still makes a beeline to the one Upstairs. She washes up as quietly as she can, before darting back into the bedroom. There's no sound of stirring at all. Being an elf has its benefits, and even then, she isn’t as heavy footed as her brother.

She slips on a black turtleneck dress, just warm enough to combat the late Autumn cold. The length is short, but she makes up for it with a pair of long, red boots that tie off above the knee. She pulls her thick, blond hair into a high ponytail, and throws a red purse over her shoulder. It’s a good look, more than what would be deserving of a day out with a known enemy. But Lup is willing to dress up out of spite.

As she starts to apply makeup, Barry rustles with wakefulness, and turns over. Lup starts, but then smiles at him warmly.

“You look beautiful,” he says, voice husky from sleep. She slides over to his side of the bed and him a kiss on the cheek. She’s lucky enough to not have put on lipstick yet, realizing she nearly left a mark on his face.

“Thanks, babe,” she murmurs, rubbing his arm. “I’ll try to make it to the station as soon as I can.”

“Don’t sweat it,” he says, already drifting back asleep. She plants one more kiss on his face, and then quietly slips out of her room.

As she walks down the hall to the stairs, a bedroom door creaks open. She pauses and turns toward it. Magnus peaks out of his bedroom, looking a little bleary eyed from sleep.

“Hey, Lup?” he asks, softly.

“Yeah, Maggie?” Lup replies, keeping her voice above a whisper.

“Julia and I were gonna hang out after the first round of the BoB. You guys wanna do triple date then?”

Lup gives him a thumbs up. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Cool,” Magnus says. He starts to close his door, but then opens it back up a crack. “You look really nice by the way.”

“Thanks, Mags,” Lup says, smiling big. She hurries down the stairs, and heads out the door.

* * *

Taako’s alarm goes off just as Lup exits the house. This is the earliest he’s ever been up for a Saturday in a while and it shows in the grump expression he carries as he exits the bedroom. As he walks into the bathroom, it’s still warm with steam from the shower. He has no idea who could’ve been up earlier than him, but he drags himself through his morning routine. As he walks back to his head room, he hears a door creak open. It’s Lucretia’s.

“Is the bathroom clear?” She asks. He gives a quick nod. She sighs with relief and grabs a change of clothes. Before she darts in, she pauses in the hallway. “The brackets for the competing teams with be up later today. I’ll text you guys asap.”

“Cool, thanks Creesh,” Taako replies, voice still a little rough from sleep. She closes the door as he heads back to his bedroom.

Common sense would’ve told Taako to lay out some clothes the night before, knowing he’d have to be up this early. But he didn’t have a lot of that stored up after using it to improve the sound of their band. Yeah, the three of them had worked out the arrangement together, but it _ was _ Taako who had brought up the song idea, spur of the moment. And hell, after Lucretia had recorded them that one time, Taako had gotten into the habit of recording them so that they can playback their sound and critique what could be improved.

Kravitz had helped a whole lot in the process. He had helped out in pretty much every process Taako had put him through. Today he’s going to give Taako a ride to the plaza so they could get (Ango’s book) outfits for the battle of the bands. This has been a week of them being blessed enough to see each other more often, but not really for their own sake. Hopefully they’ll be able to chill out after it was all said and done.

That’s what crosses Taako’s mind as he slips on a white collared shirt, pinstripe pants, and an oversized, burgundy cardigan. He flits between one large hat to the next, before settling on one colored dark red, with black ribbons hanging off the brim. He’s nearly ready to go when his phone starts ringing. As soon as he sees who’s calling, he can’t fight the stupid smile creeping onto his face.

“Hey, babe,” Taako says flirtatiously, slipping on a pair of boots. “You outside?”

“I am,” Kravitz replies, and the smile in his own voice was just as apparent. The _ dork. _ “You ready to go?”

“Coming down now, Krav,” Taako says, grabbing his wallet. “Stay pretty till I get there.”

“I’ll do my best,” Kravitz replies, chuckling a bit before hanging up. Taako sighs as he closes his bedroom door and hurries down the hall. He can feel something in his chest swell in a way that is silly, and good. He’s felt it before, the swelling usually turns into a knot, heavy and constricting. But stepping out the door and seeing Kravitz leaning against the driver’s side door, dressed in all black and smiling like an idiot—the swelling in his chest feels weightless, warm, and overwhelming. Threatening to seep out like a fountain, or blare like a headlight.

Taako walks up to Kravitz, eyes shining in their spectacular elven way, and immediately grabs both his hands. It’s _ so _ cold outside this early in the morning, and Kravitz’s icy palms don’t much help matters, but Taako can’t help but revel in the difference between the chill of Krav’s hands and the warmth of his soft gaze. He leans forward and kisses him good morning.

Kravitz accepts the kiss gladly, slipping his hands from Taako’s grasp and wrapping his arms around him. The gentle moment last for only a few seconds, before the cold tips from brisk to slightly unbearable. Kravitz pulls back and taps on the car window.

“I bought coffee and pastries,” he says. Their breaths generate wafts of fog in the cold air. “I figured you’d need it due to the early start.”

“Dammit, Krav,” Taako says, giving him one more peck on the chin before moving around to the passenger’s seat. “I may just have to keep you.” 

Kravitz grins. “I promise I’m low maintenance,” he replies, getting in and buckling up. Taako doesn’t hesitate to warm his hands on the coffee sat in the holder between them. There’s a box full of assorted pastries right beside it. He’s all smiles as Kravitz turns the car on and starts backing out. The car itself looks older than any modern model, but still in surprisingly well-kept condition.

“What kind of job enables you to afford a Bentley?” Taako asks, pulling a danish out of the box.

“The kind that I am _very_ good at,” Kravitz replies, checking the rear view mirror before backing out. “One that I’m probably going to hang onto after graduation.”

Taako had pushed down thoughts of what they were going to do after graduation for a while now. Kravitz lived a bit farther out than anyone else he knew. If it weren’t for the commute with his own car, Krav probably wouldn’t go to Eversummer at all. 

It was slowly occurring to Taako that the events in which they had come to know each over were probably flukes. They didn’t share majors, they only just barely shared friends. Once was graduation was said and done, there would be little binding them together other than themselves. 

_ Yeah _ , Taako thinks, leaning his chair way back. _ We’re probably going to have to talk. _

But he doesn’t wanna deal with that future biz right this second. He just wants to enjoy the pastry in his hand, the mellow classical music comic out of the car’s speakers, and the handsome lad sitting right beside him.

* * *

Lup steps out of the nearest station to the New Neverwinter Shopping Plaza. The day has warmed up a bit, but not enough to stave off one good chill. Her breath hitches in the cold, just as she spots Lydia standing outside a nearby coffee shop. 

Lydia’s pretty hard to miss. She wears an 80’s style, cyan overcoat and a white fuzzy hat. As soon as Lup is within a meter’s distance, the girl waves to her and puts on a smug grin.

“Huh,” Lydia scoffs. “I half expected you to ditch.”

“If I had half a brain cell, I’d do it,” Lup replies. “Unfortunately, I loaned the whole thing to my brother for the day.”

“That’s a mood,” Lydia says. She opens the door for both of them. “The others are already here, I’ll introduce you.” They stop in front of a table where three elf girls are already sitting with their coffees. Lydia puts on a starry eyed smile as she gestures from Lup to the trio.

“This is Felicity,” she says, motioning to a high elf girl. She’s wearing a black and yellow school uniform. There is a beauty mark on the outer corner of both her hazel eyes. Her long, brown hair is tied back with gold ribbons. “She just transferred to Eversummer. Her family controls significant stock in the Goldcliff Trust.” Felicity glances up from her phone for a split second, before looking back at it.

Lydia points to the next girl. “This is Rhiannon. She leads a community initiative to improve neighborhoods in the Underdark. And her family owns the iron mills that produce the tracks for the Rockport Limited.” Rhiannon is a drow, her silver hair cut in a stylishly messy bob. She sports a navy three piece suit. She gives Lup a curt nod, before taking a sip of her coffee.

Lydia motions to the last girl. “And this is Antonia. First escort to Lord Artemis Sterling of Neverwinter.” Antonia waves nervously. She’s the most dressed down of the group, wearing an oversized, university sweater over some tights. Her hair is pulled up into a messy bun.

“I’m familiar,” Lup says, waving back. Aside from Antonia, the other two girls look incredibly uninvolved and undoubtedly self-serving. They remind her of her family members from when she was young. The sudden thought leaves a sour taste in her mouth. Lup makes a mental note to kick herself in the head if she lets herself get caught in a situation like this ever again.

“Ladies,” Lydia says, now gesturing to Lup. “Say hello to Lup, one of the shining stars of Eversummer.”

“Sup, haters!” Lup exclaims, dabbing immediately. To her enjoyment—and Lydia’s horror—there is a flash of confusion that spreads across the group’s faces.

Lup expects them to respond angrily, to either leave in disgust or demand that Lydia tell her to go home. She half hopes for it. But what happens instead is that Antonia suddenly starts laughing, and the other two follow suit. Some of the stress on Lydia’s face dissipates.

“Charmed,” Felicity replies, patting the seat beside her. “Lydia mentioned having a friend who was...large in personality.”

“Friend,” Lup repeats, narrowing her eyes at her foe. She still takes the seat. Lydia ignores the look and stays standing.

“Do you have a request for a drink, Lup?” she says. “I’ve already got the others situated. Don’t be shy!”

“Oh shit,” Lup says. “You’re paying?”

“You are my guest,” Lydia replies. She pauses. “Unless, you’re good—”

“Fuck no,” Lup grabs a nearby menu excitedly. The other girls watch her in amusement. “I’m ordering the bougiest latte this place has! If you’re paying, I’m in!”

* * *

Taako breathes a sigh of relief as he slips the newly signed Jeff Angel Autobiography into his tote bag. He straightens his hat, which had gotten a little lopsided in the fray. He stands near a food court, right outside the Fantasy Barnes and Noble. A crowd of enthusiastic fans yell behind them. A few are still wrestling with each other to acquire the priceless signature of Jeff angel. 

“Glad we got that one out of the way, huh, big guy?” he says to Kravitz cheerfully.

Kravitz rolls up his shirt sleeves and pushes his hair out of his face. He gives a tired smile. “You weren’t kidding when you said things would get a little hectic back there.” Some people are laid out cold on the floor of the bookstore. Ambulatory services run in and to pick up the injured while security guards escort the rowdier ones away. “You didn’t happen to cast banishment while we were waiting in line, did you?”

“Only to the parking lot,” Taako replies, waving a hand like it’s no big deal. “Listen, if they can throw a punch but can’t throw a decent evading spell, they don’t deserve to come up against the best of the best, ya know?”

“Yeah,” Kravitz says, smiling. “I know.” He offers Taako his hand. “Lunch?”

Taako takes it with a smile. “Your speaking my language, kemosabe.”

As they look around the food court for a place to order from, Taako immediately notices a free standing fountain machine. He momentarily slips out of Kravitz’s grasp and hurries up to it. He roots around in his large bag and out pulls a large plastic cup and lid. He starts filling the cup with ice.

“Taako, what on earth are you doing?” Kravitz asks, taken aback. 

Taako frowns. “What? I’m getting a fountain drink, this is a fountain cup.”

“How...long have you had that?”

Taako thinks on it a minute. “Hmmm...two months?”

“Two months!” Kravitz exclaims. Taako winces.

“Keep it down,” he hisses. “And chill, geez. It’s reusable. I just wash it out whenever I get home.”

Kravitz pinches his brow. “Taako, the fountain drinks don’t even cost that much.” He motions at the good number of restaurants surrounding them. “You can afford to just buy a new one.”

Taako scoffs and picks three different soda flavors on the machine. It whirs as it dispenses the cursed beverage into Taako’s cup of anti-capitalism. “Do you really think I would pay for something on the sole basis that I can ‘afford’ to?” he asks.

Kravitz maintains a deadpan expression for all of two seconds, before an adamant laugh bubbles its way to the surface. It’s broken by a well worn, affectionate sigh. He says, “I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the answer to that question is _ no. _”

Taako smiles and slips his hand back into his boyfriend’s grasp. “Hmmmm. You’re learning.”

* * *

Lup stands just outside a dressing room, holding enough clothes on her arm to dress a small family. Standing beside her is Antonia, holding her own selection of clothes. They watch as, across the store, Rhiannon and Felicity get in a near fist fight with another customer over a pair of shoes that are 45% off.

“Rich people love sales more than poor people,” Antonia notes, watching with near mesmerized interest.

“Tell me about it,” Lup says. She taps on the dressing room door. “Hey, my arm is getting sore. Did you die in there?”

“Very funny,” Lydia’s voice replies from the inside. “Give me a few more minutes.”

The two girls continue to wait patiently. It’s only been an hour or two into their trip, but it already feels like it’s been a whole day.

Lup leans toward Antonia and whispers, “Riddle me this. Did you know the two other girls before today?”

Antonia nods her head. She says, “A few times. Rhiannon and Felicia have been present at a few city council meetings with My Lord. He’s not fond of such affairs, but he does love parties, and he—with Rowan and I present—has attended many galas that the two have hosted.”

“I guess that tracks,” Lup replies. She can’t quite wrap her head around why she’s involved in all this. But free shit is free shit.

“Alright, ladies,” Lydia says, winging the dressing room door open. She dumps the outfits she was trying on into a nearby cart, which is already packed to the brim with other garments She looks across the store at the other two. “Don’t tell me they’re going at it again.”

“Again?” Lup and Antonia reply, shooting each other worried glances. Lydia rolls her eyes.

“I’ll go break that up, you guys try on your stuff and meet me at the register,” She looks at Lup in particular. “I haven’t forgotten our deal.”

“Better not have.” Lup replies, and Lydia walks off, cart in tow. Just before Lup steps into the room and closes the door, Antonia stops her. 

“You made a deal too?” she asks. 

“Yeah, for free outfits,” Lup says, halfway in. “Why? Did you make one?”

Antonia looks shamefaced. “Yes. I-if I came on this trip...she’d let Rowan come to the party.”

Lup swings the door wide open, not caring if any of the other store patrons look at her funny. Her eyes are locked on Antonia. “She _ manipulated _ you into coming on this trip?”

Antonia gasps and shakes her head. “I-I made those the terms. It is my duty to protect the Lord when he attends large events, and I never do so without Rowan. If the elf council does not agree, then I would have simply refused the Lord’s invitation!”

Lup narrows her eyes and immediately dumps half the clothes she’s holding onto a nearby chair. She waves back at the empty dressing room. “I’m heading to the register already, you can use the room.”

Antonia balks. “You’re...not going to try anything on?”

“I know what I want,” Lup declares. “The majority of this stuff is for bullshitting around, but I don’t have time for that.”

Lydia stands the register, arms brimming with bags. Beside her are Felicia and Rhiannon, looking far more roughed up than they had an hour ago. A security guard walks away from them, clearly finishing up a warning about behaving properly in the store.

Lydia perks as soon as Lup approaches. “You ready to check out?”

“Yep,” Lup replies. She dumps the clothes on the counter. “I’m ready to check out of this ‘playdate.’ Are we done here?”

“Say that again?” Lydia says, looking confused. “You mean, you wanna go to a different store?”

Lup nods toward the door. “No, I mean _go,_ go. I’m ready to head home.”

Lydia huffs and sets her bags at her feet before straightening up. “Is this about the party, Lup? Is that what it is? Again?”

“It’s about being a decent person, Lydia,” She gestures back at Antonia, who is still standing outside the dressing room, watching them nervously. “You’re just gonna guilt trip Antonia into joining your little ‘Girls Day Out.’ Just so her friend can go to your stupid party? Just so you can suck up to Lord Sterling. So you can suck up to every dipshit who goes?”

The expression on Lydia’s face is viperous. She ignores the looks that Felicity and Rhiannon are giving her, a mix of discomfort and rapt interest. She asks, very slowly and deliberately, “What part of, _ ‘I’m not obligated to reason with you,’ _ do you not understand?”

“I understand that I’m ready to leave,” Lup declares. She takes a step towards the door. Antonia makes her way towards the rest of the group, looking more anxious than ever. Even the cashier at the counter looks confused by what is going on.

“I’m not getting these for you if you go,” Lydia says quickly, pointing at the pile of clothes on the counter. “And you’ll have to owe me for breakfast.”

“Cool. Fine. Don’t need em,” Lup replies. “You’ll get a check in the mail.” She brushes past her with wide, determined strides. She only _ just _reaches the sliding doors, when she hears Lydia call back.

“Wait! Just, fucking—Here.”

Lup pauses, but doesn’t turn around. Her phone suddenly pings and she checks it. There, in her messages, appears to be a link to a Fantasy Google doc.

“What is this?” Lup asks, turning around.

“The plans for the Rave,” Lydia replies, still standing at the register. “It’s got contacts, scheduling, guest list, book balances, everything. You can vet it yourself.”

Lup’s eyes widen. She does a quick scroll through and, yes, there seems to be a significant amount of information here. She glances from the phone to Lydia. The girl looks back at her with an expression that is difficult to parse. She’s obviously pissed off at Lup for calling her out, but she definitely doesn’t want Lup to go.

"Well?" Lydia asks, after a beat.

It’s an odd situation to be in, but it’s one that Lup won’t let slide easily.

She immediately forwards the link to Angus:

**TooHotHotDamn: ango, can you check this for me as soon as you can? It’s important **🔥

Lup then, very quietly, walks over to a nearby shelf display, and grabs the gaudiest purse on sight. She walks over to the counter, and plops it on top of the pile of clothes already picked out. She then motions for Antonia to put the clothes that _ she _is holding onto the pile. Antonia does so very nervously. Lup looks back at Lydia, and gives the large pile a pat.

“Alright, _ friend,_" she says. "Where to next?”


	10. It’s not a race guys (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the chonky chapter! Thank you reading. I've been waiting a long time to finally get to this one:>

“Where to next?” Kravitz asks, closing a tray of leftover soft tacos. He and Taako get up from a booth near a cluster of food trucks. Taako sips the last of his soda before tucking the empty cup back into his bag.

“Costume time, babe!” He replies with a wink. “Gotta give the people what they want.”

“Any specific aesthetic you going for?” Kravitz asks. “What’s the vibe?”

“I’m thinking dramatic, but in a classy way.” Taako says. He taps his chin. “Like if glam rock and goth had a baby. Really out there in like, a victorian himbo kinda way?”

Kravitz thinks on it. “So I guess...new romantic?”

“I was gonna say Juggalo chic,” Taako replies. “But your idea sounds better. Let’s go with your idea.”

They cross the busy intersection of the plaza from the food court to a collection of clothing shops. It’s just past noon and folks of all sorts, ranging from families, to couples, to friends groups, all mill around looking for something fun to do.

“There’s this store close by that looks kind of small on the outside, but much bigger when you actually step in and look around. It’s over there.”

He points to a brick building that’s just a short walk away. Dress forms with styled outfits stand just outside the open doors. Above them is gaudy storefront sign that reads: _ The Strip N’ Slip _.

“Looks like my kind of place,” Taako replies.

They walk into the shop, and true to Kravitz’s word, it’s large and packed to the brim with clothes from several different eras. Some garments look like they’ll make a comeback any day now, others look like they haven’t been in fashion for centuries. At the cash register sits a halfling that looks about college age, also dressed in a mish-mash of vintage clothing. They flip through a magazine lazily and barely give the boys a notable glance as they walk in.

Taako looks about as excited as a kid in a toy store. He immediately spots a deep blue band jacket with shining gold buttons. He grabs it and turns it over, admiring the detail. Hanging on a nearby coat rack are more jackets, all covered with laces, tassels, studs, and other embellishments. Taako spins around to look at his boyfriend.

“You’ve ruined me,” he declares. “I can never leave. I live here!” 

Kravitz laughs. “I’m glad you like it. This is one of my favorite stores.”

Taako holds the jacket up to Kravitz’s chest. “You should model for them,” he says. “I’m sure you’re their best customer.”

“He is,” chimes in the cashier, without looking up from their magazine. 

Taako shoots Kravitz a smug grin. Kravitz responds by playfully pulling a nearby scarf over his face, which only manages to send Taako into a string of laughter.

“You’re supposed to be helping me!” the elf complains.

“I am helping,” Krav insists. He pulls the scarf away, revealing Taako adorably annoyed face. Kravitz wraps the fabric loosely around Taako’s shoulders. It a deep indigo, flecked with silver stars. Kravitz smiles. “Hang onto this one, it looks good on you.”

Taako sticks his tongue out at him, but hangs onto the scarf. 

* * *

Lup leans against a marble pillar, arms aching. She drops her bags and gives her biceps a quick massage.

Antonia smiles at her good-naturedly, also straining to hold her bags full of clothes that Lydia graciously paid for. The rest of the shopping trip was going surprisingly well (not that Lup would care to admit.) Most of the amusement had worked itself around watching each other attempt to pick out the worst possible garment and try to make it work.

“I once sent my cousin some Fantasy Balenciaga crocs as a prank gift,” Rhiannon recounts to the group. “But then at the next spring luncheon, she came in wearing a tent dress and actually managed to pull it off.”

“We’re elves, darling,” Felicity replies with a cackle. “The laws of fashion bend to our will.”

Antonia shrugs her shoulders. “Such is our burden to bear.”

Lup watches Lydia from the corner of her eye. The latter engages, but with less vim than before. For the past hour, she had pointed out all the stores of worthy interest, then hung back while the others look around. 

From what Lup can tell right now, Lydia’s putting on a solid front. But the change in proximity is noticeable enough that it’s uncomfortable. Taako would tease Lup about her empathy streak, and far worse if he knew any of that extended to a known enemy. But after a well-needed encounter with cluster of benches, Lup pulls Lydia aside. They sit down on a bench that is partially hidden behind a floral display. 

“What is it?” Lydia asks, not looking at Lup directly.

“Listen,” Lup says. Her voice softens, and she puts her hands behind her back. “I’m sorry I embarrassed you.”

“You…you _ what? _” Lydia’s face shifts from surprise to suspicion.

Lup says, “I’m _ not _ sorry for nearly leaving. And I’m definitely not sorry for throwing Antonia’s stuff in with the shit I made you pay for. But...you seem hurt right now. And I _ am _ sorry for that. For hurting you.”

Lydia squints as her, as if trying to see through whatever facade Lup might be putting up right now. But Lup sits there, waiting patiently for whatever response she might have. After a moment, there’s a look of acceptance that washes across the girl’s face. She twirls a lock of her hair nervously and says, “Um. Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Lup nods and starts to stand up. Lydia quickly puts a hand on her arm, stopping her.

“Wait, Lup,” she says. “I’m going to tell you something. It’s...supposed to be a secret. But at this point, I guess I’ve lost anyway.”

“Lost?” Lup asks, sitting back down.

“Hey, Lydia?” Felicity’s voice says, from around the corner. Both Lup and Lydia look up as she, Rhiannon, and Antonia approach their bench. Felicity waves her phone “I think I’m going to head out. My father just sent a text, something about the Trust needing to green light funds on a new Battle wagon race track.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to leave too,” Rhiannon adds. She looks at Antonia and Lup. “Either of you guys need a ride?”

“I’d appreciate a lift back to the Lord’s palace,” Antonia says. She turns to Lydia. “Thank you for inviting me. The Lord will be pleased to attend your upcoming event.”

“I’ll stay,” Lup declares. She looks at Lydia. “I think we should definitely hang for a bit longer.”

Lydia stares momentarily at Lup, not quite registering the change in attitude. But she quickly jumps to her feet and puts on a wide smile. “Ladies, thank you all for coming out with me today! Look for a follow up text from me.” She gives the trio each a hug and an air kiss. “And don’t forget to come to the party! It’s at the Neverwinter Theatre! I expect you all to look stellar!”

The girls politely bid their goodbyes and head off, leaving Lup and Lydia standing in the middle of the courtyard. Lup picks up her bags and gestures over at a nearby food court.

“If we’re talking for real, can we get something to drink first?” she asks. “I’m parched as hell.”

“Tell me about it,” Lydia says, dropping a lot of the cheery expression she had two seconds ago. She rubs her eyes. “Hosting things is _exhausting._”

“What, breaking the facade already?” Lup says, smirking. “Now that the larger group is gone, you decide to no longer adhere to social constructs?”

“Not if it means I can do some legitimate venting over a margarita,” Lydia says. She picks up her own bags and walks ahead of Lup. “Let’s fucking go!”

* * *

Taako and Kravitz pad through the aisles, with Taako occasionally grabbing things and getting Krav’s input. Taako, for the most part, knows what he’s looking for in regards to himself, Merle, and Magnus. But it’s too tempting to grab the ugliest shit he can find and claim it’s a gift for Lup. There’s already a denim jacket with Barold’s name on his hanging on his arm. If he looked hard enough he might find something for Lucretia and Davenport too.

There goes his paycheck for the week, but so be it.

In the midst of rooting around for costumes, he gets a text from Magnus:

**LetDogsVote: Triple date Wednesday. After the first round of the BoB. We’re getting milkshakes :)!!**

“Oh shit,” Taako mutters, realizing something.

“What is it?” Kravitz asks from around the corner. He emerges, holding a long, lacy black dress in his hands. Taako looks a the dress eagerly, but then remembers what threw him off. He gives Krav a lopsided smile.

“My man, it has just occurred to me,” Taako says. “That I never formally asked you if you wanted to see the boner squad and I perform at the Battle of the Bands.”

“Oh,” Kravitz replies. “Well, I’m pretty sure you mentioned it in passing.” He smiles. “Considering your penchant for springing things on people at the last second, I really don’t mind.”

Taako huffs. “Yeah, but...I should’ve brought it up sooner.” He sits down into a nearby antique chair, getting nearly swallowed by the pile of decorative jacket, studded belts, and ruffle shirts in his arms. His head appears just above the fabric. “It’s a gig, our first gig, really. A lot of newbie performances, so I can’t guarantee it’ll be good. If you’re not interested—”

“I never said I wasn’t interested,” Kravitz says. He spots a stool nearby and pulls it over to sit down beside Taako. “I’d love to come see you and your friends perform. I’m sure you’ll sound great.”

“Well I mean, natch.” Taako sighs. “But I was more concerned about—you know—your job, and school shit. You’re just, a busy dude, my dude. And—”

Kravitz quiets him with a kiss, which only pushes Taako deeper into the all consuming mass of garments around him. He laughs as Taako makes a small noise of dissent.

“Right, usually I’m busy,” Kravitz says. He looks a bit self conscious. “But I, rather recently, got some assistance offered to help with my workload, so this week I’ll probably have a lot more availability.”

“Really?” Taako exclaims, then immediately clears his throat. “So you’d be cool to hang Wednesday evening? My sis and Mags are trying to do a triple date with Barold and Julia. It’d be after the first round of the BoB, so it might run kinda late.”

“Sounds lovely,” Kravitz says. He stands up and offers to help pull Taako out of the chair.

“Also,” Taako asks, get on his feet. “Magnus said milkshakes, and there’s nothing on this plane funnier than watching Lup try to talk Barry out of getting a milkshake. Quality content, my man.”

“Well now I guess I have to go,” Kravitz replies, chuckling.

“Hell yeah, homie.” Taako reaches for his phone to text Magnus back:

**FromTV69: and what if i were to say no?**

**LetDogsVote: as if you have anything better to do! >:0**

**FromTV69: Got me there bubelah**

**LetDogsVote: Can’t wait! It’s gonna be fun! :)**

* * *

“You want to know why I dragged you out here?” Lydia asks. She sips on a cool, strawberry-peach margarita from a small, disposable cup. Lup walks beside her, holding her own sweet, mildly alcoholic beverage. They’ve wavered away from the food court to study window displays again.

“You mean other than to torture me emotionally?” Lup suggests. 

Lydia grins. “Oh, it was definitely for the torture, but there was another reason.” She takes a sip and starts. “You and your brother have, through sheer force of will, managed to make names for yourselves not just on campus, but pretty solidly around Neverwinter. You have no political ties, no alumni, no old money, no _ new _ money, nothing. And yet here you are!”

“Batting 100 in the friendship zone, Lydia,” Lup replies sarcastically.

“What I mean is,” Lydia, says, ploughing ahead. “We, the elf student council, were thinking, ‘Hey, maybe we could get them to come to the cultural festival. It’d boost attendance for sure!’ But then you said ‘no.’”

“Yep,” Lup says. “I recall. I was there.” She spots a recycling bin a short distance away. She downs the rest of her drink, sets her bags to the side, then gives the cup a toss with a delightful, “_KOBE _.” It soars through the air and falls through with perfect precision.

“Uh huh,” Lydia says, momentarily taken. “But then my _ brother _ suggested—between just him and I—that we could make it a game. He tries to convince your brother to come, and I will try to convince you to come.”

_ “This was all part of a bet?” _ Lup says, positively incredulous. Lydia nods and disposes her cup discreetly.

“If we both convinced you, perfect.” She says. “We win, you guys are at the party, it’s great. Full stop. If we both lose, we have to lead the clean up committee once the show is over. Full stop.” 

They pause in front of a large store with a funny looking sign: _ The Strip N’ Slip _. The clothes on display are surprisingly cool, despite looking like no one's worn most of them in decades. Lup motions for them to take a peek inside.

“And if just one of you loses?” she asks, holding the door open. Lydia walks through.

“Then that person has to stay behind to clean up the theatre,_ and _ tack on community service at the Eversummer Animal Management Facility over winter break.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Lup says. She glances around the shop, deciding that it’s really dope in here, actually?

“Winter time is hibernation for the wyverns, Lup,” Lydia whines, her face scrunching up. “That’s when they _ clean out the stables."_

"Damn," Lup says. "I do not envy you in the slightest. Nor pity you, for that matter."

"Batting 200 in the friendzone, Lup," Lydia replies. 

"It's a skill," Lup says, smiling.

* * *

Kravitz points out that the store has a second floor, and they take a moment to go upstairs and explore what lies there. It’s only a quick moment after, when he glances down lover the railing and says, “Taako, is that your sister?”

“What the hell,” Taako hisses. He runs to the railing, squinting at the lower floor. They both peek down. Sure as day, it takes only a moment to recognize the two girls walking around are Lydia and Lup. They look like they’re laughing.

“Why is she hanging out with that wretched hag?” Taako asks incredulously. He immediately takes out his phone and snaps a photo of them. If there’s any truth that could be derived from his bond with his sister, it was that one must always take the opportunity for blackmail when it arises.

Kravitz, looking only the tiniest bit prickish, asks,“Is the ‘wretched hag’ in referral to the other girl, or your sister?” 

Taako leans back and stares at him for a second, before breaking into a wheeze. He immediately stumbles back, out of fear that the girls downstairs will hear him. Kravitz quickly grabs his back to steady him.

“Shit, my dude” Taako says, his voice high and cracking. He wipes a tear from his eyes. “High five me for that one. That was good.” 

“Please don’t tell Lup I said that,” Kravitz replies nervously. “ I don’t want to have to take her on in a fight.”

“For a laugh like that, you got it.” Taako replies. 

* * *

“I hate to break it to you,” Lup says. “But your brother might be winning.”

“The fuck,” Lydia exclaims, just as she is trying on a pair of novelty shades. Their comical shape only add to her incredulity. “How?”

“Well—and I’m not certain—but he did mention some stupid plan for getting involved," Lup murmurs. “I don’t know what he could possibly do, since we both have Fall concert that night. But believe me, if it’s nearly impossible and stupid, he’ll think of a way.”

“Wonderful,” Lydia says bitterly. “Simply splendid.” Lup bursts out laughing, which makes Lydia blink in surprise. “What’s so funny?” she asks.

“Your face,” Lup says with a shrug. “I don’t know. It just happened to remind me of my stupid brother when he throws a tantrum.”

“Pfft,” Lydia replies. “Your stupid brother is too much like my stupid brother. Willing to do dumb things for the goof.”

“Yeah,” Lup says. “But I’d die for my stupid brother.”

Lydia nods. “I’d kill for my stupid brother.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Lup replies, giving a faux cheer in the air. An alarm on her cell phone suddenly goes off in her purse. She gasps and quickly reaches back for it. “Shit! I’ve gotta go!”

“Go?” Lydia asks, looking a bit forlorn.

“I’m the host of a radio show,” Lup explains. She checks the time on her phone. It’s practically one o' clock. “I wanted to get over to the station sooner, but it’s so far downtown. Shit!”

“Uh, I could give you a ride,” Lydia offers. “I have a chauffeur.”

“You...wait, really?” Lup asks. “Wait, you WHAT?”

“Yeah, it’ll be faster than waiting for the metro. Follow me.” Lydia grabs Lup’s wrist and whisks her quickly out of the store.

* * *

Taako soon clambers back to the railing and looks back down. Unfortunately, they’re already gone. Taako shakes his head with annoyance. “Shit, I was hoping I could run down and catch her by surprise this time.”

“If you two keep running into each other like this, I’m sure you’ll get your chance,” Kravitz replies. 

“Like ships passing,” Taako replies, looking exhausted. “Let’s go ahead and check out.” He heads to the stairs, then stops short. He glances down at the sparkly scarf, still around his neck. He quickly slips it off and hangs it on a nearby stand.

“You’re not getting it?” Kravitz asks.

“Not today,” Taako says, with a noticeably halfhearted smile. “Cha’boy’s already busting his butt trying to get these looks for the lads at home. I’ve got a million scarves, so its chill.” He starts carefully walking down the stairs, not checking to see if he’s being followed.

Kravitz hesitates a minute. When Taako’s _ just _ far enough away, he picks the scarf up and starts heading down himself.

* * *

“You saw Rhiannon and Felicity making eyes at each other, right?” Lydia asks. They ride in the backseat of a large, black volkswagen. The inside seats are a smooth, light leather. The chauffeur is an older tiefling man in a grey suit.

Lup smiles as she admires the nice car. “How could I not?”

“I’ve been trying to get them together for months,” Lydia says. “But they’re too busy trying not to trip over each other’s feelings to see it.”

“Oh shit,” Lup replies. “I have been there. Fuck, that sitch was me not too long ago.”

“Really,” Lydia says, and her voice quiets just a bit. 

Lup nods. “My boy. We’ve known each other forever, but we’ve only really been dating for the last year or so. But honestly, I don’t think it was bad to wait so long.”

“How has it been going now?” Lydia asks, her gaze is still.

Lup smiles and turns away to look out the window. Any time someone asks her about Barry, she feels like she could fly over the moon. “It’s been wonderful,” she murmurs.

Lydia says nothing further, and looks out her own window.

* * *

Taako waits outside the store, tapping his foot. Kravitz emerges a second later with a bag or two of his own. He offers to take on some of Taakos, which the later deposits gratefully into his arms, They then both lug the somewhat heavy bags across the parking lot.

As soon as they reach his car, Kravitz asks, “Do you want to head back to your place?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind folks being nosey about what I got them,” Taako replies. He tosses his stuff in the back seat. “I really shouldn’t have got all this. Those idiots are going to start thinking I’m Santa Clause at this rate.”

“I take it you buy things for them often?” Kravitz asks, getting in the driver's seat. Taako frowns. He gets in the passenger's seat and points at him.

“What you’ve seen here today didn’t happen,” he declares. “I will not have my aloof reputation tainted! Not even by you, handsome.”

“Of course not,” Kravitz replies, smiling earnestly. Taako leans his chair as far back as it'll go, just as an act of defiance.

* * *

The ride to the radio station rather quiet. Neither Lup nor Lydia say anything more until the car pulls over to the curb. Lup quickly unbelts and hops out. The back of the car pops open and she grabs all of her bags. 

“Thanks, Lydia!” She shouts, closing the top down. “You’re a lifesaver!”

“Uh, yeah, no problem,” Lydia says, sticking her head out the window. She looks uncomfortable? Maybe indecisive. She asks, “Hey...Maybe. We could hang out again?”

Lup falters, stopping halfway between the car and the entrance to the building. “Uh...I don’t know...”

“It doesn’t have to be a whole day.” Lydia offers. “What if...you treat me to a coffee, since I gave you the ride. That’d be fair, I think.”

Lup’s decision get interrupted by another ping on her phone. She checks it super quick, her arm straining under the weight of her bags. It’s a message from Lucretia.

“Oh shit,” Lup says. She looks back at Lydia and quickly side steps towards the building. “Deal! Just shoot me a text! Later!” She runs up the stairs and swings open the door.

“Cool!” Lydia calls back. “Later!”

* * *

“Hey, I think Barold and Lulu’s radio thing is going on right now,” Taako says. He and Kravitz are stuck in downtown traffic with little hope of movement in sight. This is just an attempt to fend off boredom. He reaches over from his leaned back seat and fiddles with the knob on the car’s radio until, sure as day, Barry’s voice comes pouring through the speakers:

“And that was, _ ‘My Roommate is a Ghost, How do I Make Them Pay Rent?’ _” he says.

Before Taako can listen properly, his phone pings. The house group chat gets a message from Lucretia, followed up by an image:

**Lucetia: Brackets are up you guys! Here’s a pdf of the poster. It’s going up in the student center Monday.**

“Oh shit,” Taako says. He opens the link to the image and reads it over.

“What is it?” Kravitz asks.

“The brackets for the BoB!” Taako replies, not bothering to hide his excitement. “They’re here!”

“Oh?” Kravitz says, and there’s something uncertain in his voice. 

Taako’s fingers trace each name carefully. “Okay, Boner Squad and I are playing round one. Shit, that’s Wednesday. We’re against some group called The Mad Lads.” 

“I wouldn’t know who those would be,” Kravitz says.

“Me neither,” Taako replies. He checks the other groups. “Team Sweet Flips are competing that night too. Against a band called _ Last Refuge? _ Five bucks says Roswell and Cassidy are in that one. Those guys are pretty fuckin’ good.” He quickly adds, “Not that I’m concerned or anything.”

“No, of course not,” Kravitz replies, but he sounds like he’s only half listening to what Taako is saying.

“Who the fuck are _ ‘The Reapers? _’” Taako asks, squinting at the image. Kravitz doesn’t answer, looking more uncomfortable than ever.

* * *

Lup runs up the stairs and nearly skids as she reaches the correct door. The light above indicating that they’re live in broadcasting shines bright red.

“Babe!” Lup yells, bursting in. Both Barry and the other producer in the booth throw up their hands reflexively to shush her. Barry stutters his last line of dialogue, before sliding over to let Lup sit down beside him. She drops her bags, throws on a pair of headphones, and leans closer to the mic.

“Sorry for the startling interruption,” She says. “But we just received some late breaking news!”

* * *

“Late breaking news, my ass,” Taako mutters. He’s one hundred percent going to get on her for causing a scene on _ a live broadcast _ later. On the radio, Lup’s voice rings out, _ very _ loud and _ very _ clear:

“I hope you kids are ready, because round two of the Battle of the Bands will be fought by the newest, up and coming band of Neverwinter: _ The Reapers! _ Featuring none other than my co-host Barry, yours truly, and our friend Kravitz!”

Taako stops staring at his phone and slowly turns his head to look at Kravitz. 

Kravitz, for his part, does not meet his gaze. His hands rest firmly on the wheel of the car, eyes glued steadfastly to the road. Even though they're still stuck in the unmoving traffic.

“And Taako, if you’re listening—” Lup continues. She’s practically cackling. _“You can fucking suck it!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Kravkalakin on tumblr dot com for suggesting the name "The Slip and Strip." That had me choking on my laughter. Catch y'all on the flip side.


	11. You know what really sucks?

Kravitz patiently waits for him to say something, but Taako doesn’t mouth a word during the long car ride home. When they get back to the house, he helps Taako carry the bags into the house, but Taako still doesn’t say anything. It’s not until they come into the living room, and see that Lup and Barry are already sitting on the couch watching TV with Merle, that Taako goes from completely silent, to very loud.

“SO YOU’RE TRYING TO OUT BAND ME?” Taako yells at the top of his lungs.

Lup immediately jumps off the couch and screams back, “HELL YEAH, WE’RE GOING TO OUT BAND YOU!!” 

“ARE WE YELLING NOW?” Magnus yells, bursting into the room from seemingly nowhere. 

“I’M TRYING TO LISTEN TO MY SHOWS!” Merle shouts, throwing up his hands. Davenport comes up from the basement, rubbing his temples with exasperation.

“Fellas,” he says, addressing the group. He doesn't even bother to raise his voice, they all snap to attention anyway. “Can we not make this conversation a shouting match?”

“Sorry Cap’n port,” everyone mumbles, immediately quieting down.

Before Lup can get in a word to explain herself, Taako casts Blink and disappears, reappearing on the upper floor. He heads straight to his bedroom, taking most of the shopping bags with him and leaving Kravitz to just awkwardly stand around. Magnus plops down in one of the armchairs. Davenport heads back downstairs and Merle stays glue to the tv.

“So, Skeletor,” Lup says, turning her attention to Kravitz. “How’d he find out? Did you let the band thing slip early?”

“No, I—” Kravitz starts. He sighs. “We both...happened to be returning home from shopping...when we heard the announcement on your radio show.”

“Holy shit,” Lup replies, a grin leaping onto her face. The grin on her face expands into a laugh. “You mean he actually heard me tell him off _live?_”

Kravitz slowly nods. His mouth is a thin line.

Lup takes that as a less than positive sign. “Did he say anything at all after that?”

Kravitz shakes his head, and the smile on Lup’s face falters. She rolls her eyes and stands up. “Oh, come on, bro.” She walks past Kravitz to head upstairs the stairs, pausing only to give him a pat on the shoulder. “Don’t you worry, Bones. I’ll talk to him.”

As she hurries to Taako’s room, Barry motions for Kravitz to take up her spot on the couch. As Kravitz passes the armchair to sit down, Magnus gives him another welcoming fist bump. Barry smiles and asks, “So, silent treatment huh?”

“Is that a bad?” Kravitz asks, looking more nervous than he’d like to let on.

“Only if it goes on more than 24 hours,” Merle replies, eyes still on the fantasy soap opera playing before him. “Taako’s notorious for holding grudges, but with something like this, he’ll probably chill out after an hour or so.”

“Well, I think all of us competing in the BoB is a great idea!” Magnus declares, his hospitable nature coming out in full form. “I’m excited to compete against you guys. Plus we’ll all be there for triple date night after!”

“It should be one hell of a performance, big guy,” Barry agrees. Kravitz also brightens at the sentiment.

“You guys are doing triple date night?” Merle asks, momentarily drawn away from the TV. His eyes twinkle with a mischievous light. “Hey, I just acquired the loveliest orchid recently. Mind if I—”

“_No_, Merle,” They all reply. 

* * *

Lup knocks once on Taako’s door, then swings it open like she owns the room. She waltzes in, careful to not trip over the assortment of shopping bags that he so helpfully dropped on the floor. Taako, for his part, is lying face down on the bed in a huff. Some of his stuffed animals and pillows have spilled over onto the flow. He makes a muffled groan as soon as she enters, but he doesn’t move.

“Hey,” Lup says, putting her hands on her hips. “Don’t be mad at Krav.”

Taako lifts his head just enough to says, “I’m not mad at Krav.”

“But you _ are _ mad though?” Lup asks. “Like, on this you _ do _ admit having some resentment.”

“Fuck off.”

Lup doesn’t fuck off. She plops down onto the side of the bed, much to Taako’s distain. He tries to push her off with his foot, but she anchors herself by grabbing onto his leg. Taako resolves to quit fighting and go back to laying perfectly still in anger. 

“I wish I had seen your face when you heard,” Lup says, after a minute. It’s twin talk time apparently.

Taako turns just enough to shoot an accusing glare at her. “You conspired against me! And you roped Barold and Kravitz in with you!”

“There was no conspiring,” Lup scoffs. Taako glares even harder. “Okay, there was a little bit of conspiring. But if you want to rant to anyone, talk to Lucretia. She recorded the three of us performing right after she recorded you guys.”

“She—WHAT?” Taako yells. He pulls himself up onto his elbows. “I trust no one in this house.”

“That’s a lie, but go off I guess,” Lup replies. “She asked me that same week if Barry, Kravitz and I were interested in pooling our musical talents together and participating in the BoB. We said yeah, I filled out the paperwork, and she submitted the demo.”

“But you all play classical music,” Taako says. “Most of the bands are going to be playing, I dunno, new age rock or something. You’re gonna be out of your depth.”

“Don’t count all your dragon eggs before they hatch, Koko,” Lup replies. She gives his head a pat, and he makes small noise of annoyance. “If we’re good enough to make it to round 2 automatically, then we’ve definitely got an edge in the competition.”

“That’s another thing,” Taako says. “Who the fuck let you get ranked higher than me and the Boner Squad?”

“Again. Take it up with Creesh,” Lup replies. “I don’t think she actually ranks the teams, but she probably knows who does. Regardless, she won’t be home until late tonight. She had to inspect the theatre today. You know, for the show you seem to care so much about.” 

“Hmm,” Taako grumbles. But that answer seems to satisfy him enough now. He rolls onto his back and stares angrily up at the ceiling.

Lup gives his leg a poke. “If you’re done being a whiny baby, mind letting your boyfriend knows he’s clear to come upstairs? He’s been waiting in the living room for a while now.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t come in right behind you,” Taako admits.

“I think he’s trying to give you some space to sort out your feelings,” Lup prods. “You know, like a _ good _boyfriend.”

Taako covers his face with his hands and groans. “He would, the sap.” Lup can see through his hands that his face and the tips of his ears are tinged with bright red. She smiles and pokes him again.

“Hey,” she says. “When did you two start doing that thing?” 

“Doing what?” Taako asks, moving his hands away.

“The little hearts in the text messages. Did you just decide to start doing that or...?”

Taako rolls his eyes and sits up. He pulls his knees to his chest. “Nah. It just sort of...happened. Ya know?”

Taako couldn’t remember when they started doing that. He reached over and grabbed his phone off the nightstand near is bed. As he scrolled through past messages he realized that they talked a _ lot _. Especially when they hadn’t seen each other for some time. The beginnings and endings of each conversation could be easily tracked thanks to the little hearts. They often talked about random things, frivolous things. But also important things, sometimes.

Kravitz talked about his job. Taako talked about starting up a school. They both talked about cool places to travel to once they were both able to catch a break. Sometimes the conversations were nothing more than _ good mornings_, and _ goodnights_, and _ I miss yous _ . The little hearts marked moments in their lives. Moments that meant they were happy together. _ Are _happy together.

Taako wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he ever sent a heart and didn’t get one back.

He grabs his cellphone and calls his boyfriend.

“Hello?” Kravitz says, picking up immediately.

“Hey, use your death powers to come upstairs,” Taako says.

“Um, okay. Seems a bit showy but—”

A second into saying that, Kravitz steps through a rip in space and time into Taako’s bedroom. Lup practically falls off the bed in surprise, which gets a snort out of her brother. They can both see through the rip, the equally taken aback look of Magnus, Merle, and Barry, still seated in the living room. The rip closes just as quickly as it opened.

“Get out of my room,” Taako says to Lup, with an attempt to lightly push her off the bed. Lup stands up. 

“I get it, I get it,” she says. She passes Kravitz and asks, “You staying, Bones? I’m thinking balsamic roasted veggies for dinner. There is only one right answer to this question.”

“Yes?” Kravitz asks.

“And with that, you pass!” Lup declares, extending her arms and backing out of the room.

“Don’t start seasoning stuff without me!” Taako yells after her.

“No!” Lup yells back. 

As soon as she’s out of earshot, Taako flops back on the bed, turning over onto his stomach so he’s faced away from Krav. He looks like a body found in a very fluffy, very comfortable ditch.

Taako is laying on his stomach, faced away from Kravitz as he enters. Taako’s arm reaches out and pats the duvet near Kravitz’s lap, and Kravitz offers his hand in response. Taako grabs Krav’s hand and places it on the crown of his head. Kravitz reflexively starts running his fingers gently through Taako’s currently messy hair, and Taako makes a hum of approval. They stay like that for a while, Kravitz thumbing circles against the side of his boyfriend's scalp. 

“Are you mad?” Kravitz eventually asks.

“Not at you,” Taako mumbles.

“I guess that’s good enough,” Kravitz says. His voice is soft and accepting.

Taako rolls over and makes grabby hands at him. Kravitz smiles and adjusts his body so that he’s laid down next to Taako, legs just hanging off the edge. Taako places arm around Krav’s shoulders and they stay like that for a few more minutes.

“You three really pulled a number on me,” Taako says finally.

“It was mostly Lup’s doing,” Kravitz replies.

“No shit? And here I go thinking Barrold evil masterminded this whole thing.”

Kravitz chuckles softly. “It was all very last minute.”

“Do tell,” Taako replies. “So, you’re really going to be performing with him and Lulu? Mr. _ I’m too goddamn busy to spend more time with my boyfriend? _”

“We just had a whole date,” Kravitz protests. “And we’ll both be at the competition.”

“As rivals!” Taako shoots back. He shakes his head and grins. “Damn. Lovers to rivals speed run. Ain’t seen that trope before, huh?”

“I’ll still support you Wednesday,” Kravitz says. “I’m hoping you’ll do the same for us Thursday.”

“May the best band kick the most ass, as they say.” Taako gives Kravitz’s arm a poke. “What song are you guys going to be playing anyway?”

“It’s a secret,” Kravitz says simply. 

“It could be _ our _ secret,” Taako suggests.

Kravitz sits up, much to his boyfriend’s displeasure. “We should go downstairs and help with dinner.”

Taako grabs him arm, not letting him get away that easily. “Okay, but consider: We don’t.”

“It is your prerogative,” Kravitz replies, a lack of commitment on his face. “We could either go downstairs and hang out with everyone else. Or we could stay up here—” he presses a kiss to Taako’s cheek. “—and not talk about bands anymore.”

Taako narrows his eyes. “I don’t like that you’re making all these convincing non-arguments. Who taught you that? Was it Barold? I bet it was Barold.”

Kravitz smiles. “So, I take it you’re convinced?”

Taako grabs a pillow and hits Kravitz’s side with it. It does nothing more than elicit a gentle laugh. Taako pulls Kravitz back down so that they both cuddling again. “One last question,” he says. “The Reapers? Really? Of all the most on the nose—”

“Enough band talk!” Kravitz insists. He presses another kiss on the bridge of Taako’s nose, which rewards him with another smack of a pillow. Kravitz manages to catch hold of it this time, wrenching it from his boyfriend’s grasp and tossing it off the bed. He grabs onto Taako, to keep from being assailed with anymore soft things. Taako makes a sound of annoyance, before leaning in to give Kravitz a proper kiss on the lips.

* * *

Taako and Kravitz come down the stairs after an hour, the smell of dinner beckoning everyone to the table.

Lup takes less than a moment’s glance at her brother’s somewhat disheveled hair, and says, “You look like you slept in a wind turbine.”

“Fuck you,” he replies. But then he stops when he sees what is on the table. “Is that pizza?”

“With cheesy garlic crust,” Lup chimes. “Scone app the beef.”

“Unfuck you,” Taako says, immediately plopping down in a seat across from her and opening the box. “What happened to roasted veggies?”

“Davenport ordered out,” Magnus replies, mouth devastatingly full of breadsticks. “He got an email saying that his inter-planer study abroad program got approved.”

“Where’s he now?” Taako asks, grabbing two cups. Kravitz takes a seat right beside him, and grabs them both a paper plate.

“Him and Merle went out to get lit,” Lup replies. “We probably won’t see them again until Tuesday.” She turns and places a hand on Barry’s arm. His plate already stacked with two large pepperoni slices. They are smothered in melted cheese. “Babe, he ordered one without cheese for a reason.”

Barry holds his plate defensively. “If this is how I die, I die.”

“That can be arranged,” Kravitz says, which gets a snort out of Taako. 

“Death by pizza,” Magnus muses. “Not the worst way to go.”

“You keep shoving two slicing at a time in your mouth like that and you’ll find out,” Taako says. He passes Magnus a napkin. “You have crust crumbs in your sideburns.”

“Thanks buddy,” Magnus says, managing to only wipe away half.

And dinner goes like that. Warm and loud. Full of stupid conversations that aren’t stupid when you have the right people around to indulge in them with you. It's nice.

* * *

Lucretia gets home a bit later, after everyone has finished eating, and Kravitz has gone home, and the house is finally quiet. Lup sits at the dining room table, working on a paper for class.

“Is Taako home?” Lucretia asks, closing the door gently behind her.

“Bedroom,” Lup says, looking up from her notes. “He was butthurt earlier, but I think he’s over it.”

“Scale of 1 to ten,” Lucretia asks. In her hand is a small, decorative box. “Where is he?”

“I’d say a soft 4.”

“Ah,” Lucretia says with a smile. “Then my chances are good.”

Lup extends an arm out to her. “Boys, what will we do with them?”

“Tell me about it,” Lucretia says. She gives Lup a quick hug, and then heads upstairs. 

Once at Taako’s bedroom door, she gives it a light knock. “Taako? I’m back.”

“Don’t talk to me,” Taako’s voice says through the door. “Our friendship is over.”

“I brought you Ferrero Rochers. Your favorite.”

Taako’s door swings open, and Taako is standing there, wearing his pajamas. He extends a hand. “Our friendship is on probation. Gimme.”

Lucretia gives up the box of fancy chocolates willingly. “I assume you want a debriefing on the whole BoB talent selection?” she asks.

Taako side steps to let her into the room. “Yeah, I have two issues about that.” Lucretia grabs a chair, while Taako sits cross legged on the bed. He continues talking as he unwraps the box.“First, you snuck around and roped Lup into your little scheme. Then she roped in her boy and my boy for kicks. For that, I’ll never forgive you.”

“Would a free lunch change any of that?”

“I’ll forgive, but I’ll never forget.”

“Fair,” Lucretia says. She crosses her legs. “But do know that it _ is _ part of my job to recruit as many bands as possible. To be honest I didn’t think Lup, Barry, and Kravitz would be able to do it. But I’m glad because it means we have a full roster. Now, the second thing?”

“The second thing is—” Taako says, popping a chocolate into his mouth. “You let _ Lup’s _ band get ranked above _ mine? _ Taako’s? _ From tv? _”

“Believe me,” Lucretia replies, using her diplomatic voice. “I know all too well the efforts you boys put into preparation for this event, and I’m super proud of you! I would rank you higher if I could. But the final selection was made by the entire BoB Board. I was essentially out voiced.”

“Remind me who’s on the board again?” Taako asks, “I’d like to teach them a lesson in dodging magic missiles.”

“For that exact reason,” she replies. “I won’t tell you.”

Taako frowned. “You’re the worst, Lucretia.”

“I do my best,” She replies. “You’ll have an opportunity to run into them in person at the first round. Speaking of which,” She gets up and pats his arm. “I have a busy couple of days ahead of me. I won’t be able to take a look into every little criticism that comes my way.”

“Hey,” He says, right as she reaches the doorway. “If I secretly sabotage Lup’s team in some way, you’ll turn a blind eye too it right?”

Lucretia smiles. “Have a good night, Taako.”

“Yeah,” he replies, mouth stuffed with two more chocolates. “Night, Creesh.”

* * *

That following Sunday morning, band practice begins much earlier than it usual. It’s less band practice, and more Happy Fun Times with Taako and Magnus. Since Merle didn’t reappear the following morning, the two have to make due with going over the rhyme section without the melody. They both assume that he’ll probably show up later in the day. If anything they ‘ll probably find him passed out in their front hedges or something. It be like that sometimes.

Lup heads towards to the basement, only for Taako bar her and Barry from entering. He puts up a sign that says: “No traitors allowed.” As well as a barrier spell that does a nifty job of keeping her out.

Funnily enough, Lucretia is allowed to come in and listen.

“Why are you letting Creesh in there but not me?” Lup demands, after witnessing Lucretia carry bowl of popcorn and a laptop walk into the basement without Taako batting an eye. Lup is stuck standing two steps up from the doorway, her body leaned against the invisible blockade keeping her out.

“She’s not using her musical talents against me,” Taako says, tuning up his guitar. “Unlike some sister I know. Plus, I can’t let you have anymore of an upper hand then you’ve already got.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Ko.” Lup says, squishing her face against the barrier. Though, she does feel a tinge of competitive concern. Tres (Dos, currently) are improving, while The Reapers haven’t had much time to practice with each other. Much less find a suitable vibe for the second round. It’s a time schedule being cut to the bare bone.

“If you want, you can help me style outfits for the first round,” Taako relents. “Magnus has to go set up for his wood shop exhibition later. And If I don’t have someone to strut in front of, then what’s the goddamn fucking point?”

“The exhibition is Tuesday,” Magnus notes. “You guys are gonna check it out, right?”

“Of course,” Lucretia says.

“If the schedules allows,” Taako says.

“I’ll go if you take down the barrier,” Lup says. Magnus immediately shoots Taako a sad, puppy-eyed look. Taako puts up a hand to try to block sad Magnus from his periphery. He glances at Lup and she gives him the same, big, watery pout. He groans

“No stealing of company secrets,” Taako says. “You come in here and watch us practice, you have to sign a non disclosure agreement.”

Lup rolls her eyes. “Deal. Also, you have to help me with outfits for MY band. I have to rope two dorks into coordinating with me.”

“Two _ gothic _ dorks,” Magnus scoffs. “You have the fucking easiest job on the planet. Just wear all black.” 

Lup shakes her head. “Barry’s very particular about how dark his dark wash jeans get. Had to compromise at very, very deep blue.”

Taako puts his head in his hands. “Your taste in men is something else, Lulu.”

“The heart wants what the heart wants, Ko,” Lup says. Taako waves a hand and the barrier comes down, along with Lup’s center of gravity. She stumbles on the stairs, just barely catching herself. She shoots Taako a dirty look as she walks over to the bean bag chairs.

She only half listens as Taako and Magnus strum through their set. But she bobs her head to the music anyway. She pulls out her phone and starts scrolling through messages. 

At the top is a message from Lydia, looking just recently sent:

**ThisBinchHere: You cool to do coffee tomorrow morning?**

Lup sends a non-committal ‘yeah.’ She’s not keen on meeting with Lydia again so soon. But she _ did _ promise coffee for the car ride. She might as well make good on it.

Below that text is one from Angus, asking to call later about the document with the plans for the Elf party. She’ll have to stick a tab in that for when she’s not so focused on the Bob and orchestra.

Speaking of which, most of the other texts are concert performance suggestions. She’s already presented some of them to Leon, only for most of them to get shot down. There’s one big idea that she’s chosen to not present, and just set up herself. One big, glorious idea. If she can make it work, it just might be a showstopper.

There’s also an email from...Leon? Lup sits up straight as she reads it, confused that she would get such an email on Sunday. After a second, she looks up at Taako and Magnus.

“Orchestra is cancelled tomorrow!” She shouts.

Taako and Magnus stop playing mid refrain. Taako immediately looks ready to throw down his guitar.

“Fuck yeah!” he yells, pumping his fists. “Taako’s gonna take a fucking _ nap! _”

“You have a free afternoon and you’re gonna use it to take a nap?” Lucretia asks, nearly tipping over her popcorn with laughter.

“Never underestimate the healing power of a good nap, Creesh.” Taako replies. “It does more than fucking _ Merle _.”

“What does more than fucking Merle?” a voice asks. They all look up and see Merle work his way slowly downstairs. He stumbles into the basement, covered in leaves, twigs, and flower petals. He’s wearing a crumpled Hawaiian shirt, ripped red shorts, and one shoe. The other is nowhere to be seen.

“Speak of the dwarf,” Magnus says. “You and Capn’port have fun last night, old man?”

“I lost track of the captain between 2am and fuck knows when,” Merle replies. He walks over and throws his short body over the seat of the couch. “But, Pan bless him, I’m sure he’s fine. He can take care of himself.”

He’s less than two seconds on the couch than he starts snoring. Lup cast prestidigitation to remove some of the dirt and leaves clinging to Merle’s body. It helps a little, but it doesn’t quite remove the party smell clinging to him.

“Five bucks says that Davenport passed out in the front hedges,” Taako says.

“Ten says on top of the Starblaster,” Lup says.

“Ten says he’s wanted for a heist pulled in a drunken fugue state and is on the run from authorities,” Magnus says.

“Fifteen says he’s already sobered and cleaned up,” Lucretia says.

They all get up and go upstairs to see if their theories ring true, leaving Merle to decompose on the couch. Greeting them at the top of the stairs is a view Barry, looking a bit worse for wear after a night of failed dairy consumption, and—Davenport, looking just as clean and prim as usual. There is no sign of any previous night rowdiness on him.

“I ordered the one without cheese for a reason, Barry,” he says, in his disapproving voice. 

Barry sighs. “Yes, sir.”

“Fifteen,” Lucretia whispers at the others. “Pay up.”

They all groan and start pulling out their wallets. As soon as the money is in Lucretia’s hands, she counts it up and divides it.

“I win!” she announces. “You can break the illusion, Captain.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Davenport says. He snaps his fingers, and his prim and proper look is immediately replaced with the most tired, bleary-eyed gnome any of them has ever laid eyes on. His spiffy coat is now a fluffy bathrobe and slippers. He walks past Lucretia, gets his half of the bet, and heads upstairs. “I’m going to sleep off this hangover, if any of you need me, its a 24 hour wait.”

“You two worked against us???” Taako says, incredulous.

“Don’t be mad,” Lucretia says, waving the money casually. “This is how I’ll treat you to lunch.” She turns on her heel and heads back down to the basement. Taako, Lup, Magnus, and even Barry stay standing in place, wracking their brains over what has just occurred.

“Shit,” Barry says.

“She’s too powerful,” Magnus declares.

“Yeah, even I’m a little bit spooked,” Lup admits.

“Wait, it’s not free lunch if part of that is _ my _ money!” Taako yells. “FUCK!”


	12. Everything

Lup gets up early for what feels like the millionth time this week. She really doesn’t want to slide out of bed right now, especially with Barry’s arms curled warmly around her, snoring gently with his face pressed against the back of her neck. But there’s only a small window of time between now and her first classes, and she wants to designate the free time made available by no orchestra class to doing fuck all. Which means getting up early and treating an acquaintance to coffee.

It’s very cold out, so she pulls on a long, burgundy sweater dress and some fuzzy socks. While she gets dressed, she hears rustling from the bed, and turns to see Barry sitting up, looking mildly confused by the fact that she’s not lying there beside him right now.

“Go back to sleep, Babe,” she says, putting on a pair of boots. “I have to go do something this morning.”

“You’re making a terrible habit of leaving early,” He replies, not bothering to put on his glasses.

“I know,” Lup coos, walking over and giving him a kiss on the forehead. He’s not usually a light sleeper, but it’s very cute of him to notice when she’s not there. She’s almost tempted to crawl back into bed. _Almost._ “I promise cuddles when I get back, okay?”

Barry makes a hum of approval. He puts his hand on her arm, and for a fleeting moment she wants to skip all her classes and just stay home for today. But, _ priorities. _

“Try to practice on your keyboard while I’m gone,” She says, planting one more kiss before pulling away from him. “We’ve got three days till our round of the BoB, and I want to soundly kick Taako’s ass.”

“You always want to kick Taako’s ass,” Barry says, lying back down reluctantly. Lup grabs her backpack and crosses over to the doorway.

“It’s the Cain Instinct,” she replies. She almost closes the door behind her, but peeks her head out one last time. “Love you, bye,” she whispers.

“Love you, bye,” Barry replies, already half asleep again.

She blows a kiss at him, and closes the door behind her.

* * *

Thirty minutes after Lup leaves, Taako has to save the kitchen from being burnt down by Magnus, due a short breakfast incident involving too much oil in the pan for fried eggs.

“I thought flipping it would give it some of that jenny-say-qwa!” Magnus explains. Taako pours a handful of flour onto the grease fire and lays a towel down to smother out the last few flames on the counter. Lucretia bears witness to the whole event from the tabletop counter, while typing furiously on a laptop in front of her. She pauses to look up at Magnus’s sheepish face and Taako’s 100% done face.

“Why don’t we just have poptarts for breakfast?” She offers.

“No,” Taako snaps, grabbing the pan covered in burnt egg gunk and rinsing it out. “The window for shitty, rushed breakfast has past. For fucking up so fantastically, I’m gonna show you two dipshits how to make a fucking proper omelette.”

As Taako grabbed the eggs and veggies out of the fridge, Magnus and Lucretia gave each other silent thumbs up. Davenport walks into the dining room.

“What smells like something was burning?” he inquires.

“My fucking patience,” Taako calls back.

“Breakfast,” Lucretia replies, patting the kitchen stool beside her for Davenport to climb up on.

“You do still owe me lunch, Creesh,” Taako says over his shoulder. He shows Magnus how to crack the eggs without getting any of the shell in the goop. Magnus, for his part, very nearly gets it.

“Would you be willing to attend lunch with me while I run the BoB Board meeting?” Lucretia asks, going back to typing. “We have to organize setup between today and tomorrow and I don’t think I have much time to spare otherwise.”

“If you’re paying,” Taako replies. He slides a handful of mushrooms onto the cutting board.

“Hey Cap’n port,” Magnus says, watching as Taako starts chopping vegetables. “You’re cool with letting us use the Starblaster to load up all our gear for the BoB, right?”

Davenport nods. “I have to take it out for a tune up today, but as long as you’re the one driving, Magnus, I don’t mind.” He sighs. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to tick Merle off the list of potential drivers, after the near-ditch experience that was this past weekend.”

“You haven’t ticked me off the list, Captain,” Taako says, mincing some peppers.

“You were never on the list, Taako,” Davenport replies.

“It’s because I’m gay, isn’t it!” Taako yells, whirling around. Magnus jumps back to avoid the knife in Taako’s hand.

Davenport pinches the bridge of his nose. “Taako, you use “I’m gay” as an excuse for _ not _ driving, despite being given the offer several times.”

“Damn right,” Taako says, giving the knife a decisive flick. “And don’t you forget it!”

A fresh batch of omelettes and roughly forty five minutes later, Magnus, Lucretia, and Taako clean up the kitchen and get ready to head out. Merle scampers out of his room, his sense of timeliness not as fine tuned as the others. Davenport has already left to get the Starblaster looked after. Barry sits at the counter, with a cup of coffee darker than the night sky. He gives them all a sleepy wave as they crowd in front of the open door.

“Don’t forget,” Magnus says to Barry, as the other’s walk down the porch. “Me and Julia’s woodshop exhibition is tomorrow,” Magnus says. “5 o’ clock!”

“Magnus’s wood thing is tomorrow,” Taako says.

“Tomorrow we’re all gonna take a look at Magnus’s wood,” Merle says.

“Bad. Try that one again,” Lucretia says, specifically to Merle.

“Wouldja get a long look at that Magnus wood?” Merle says.

“Nope,” Lucretia says. “Even worse.” Barry chuckles and waves them off.

* * *

Lup waits inside the campus Fantasy Starbucks to avoid the cold. She would’ve preferred to go to the Davy Lamp, what with it being much warmer and far more affordable. But this spot is much closer to her classes. She sends a text to Angus to meet her at the Davy Lamp for lunch so they can run over the info for the Wave Echo Rave.

Just as she hits _ send _, Lydia practically bursts through the doorway, wearing a deep blue pants suit and a row of glittering hairpins in her hair. She spots the small table that Lup is sitting at and sashays over, looking surprisingly refreshed face for someone up this early in the morning.

“What’s your skin routine, Lydia?” Lup asks, as she plops down in the chair across from her. “Soaking in the stolen souls of your enemies?”

Lydia smiles. “No, I just chant curses at them until I’m the prettiest one in the room by default.”

Lup nods, understanding. “Innovative. Well, now that you’re here, what’s your caffeine addiction of choice?”

“Just a small latte.”

“Oh, thank fuck,” Lup replies, immediately getting up. “For a second there, I expected you to order some double-decker, caramel macchiato or some other bougie shit.”

“I _ can _change my mind, you know,” Lydia offers.

“Like the hell you can,” Lup replies. “But frankly, it wouldn’t matter. You can’t compare to the shit storm that is my brother at a coffee shop.” 

“Oh?” Lydia asks, rising as well. They stand side by side, looking at the various drink options written in swirling letters on kitsch black boards. Lup goes ahead and places an order.

“Yeah,” She replies. “As soon as the seasonal drinks change out, he goes apeshit. Caught him sitting at a table once, transmuting notebook paper into sheets of aluminum. He had chugged three pumpkin spice lattes and didn’t come down for two hours. His body was vibrating so fast I thought he’d set off a Richter scale or something.”

Lydia cackles. “Incredible.”

“Yeah, he’s really something,” Lup says, with a smile of her own.

“What did you do with all the aluminum?” Lydia asks.

“Oh, we used those bad boys for grilling shish kebobs,” Lup says proudly. They get their drinks and sit back down at the table. “It’s getting close to Candlenights. Once they switch over to peppermint flavor, he’ll be at it again.”

“Have you tried stopping him?” Lydia asks. Lup rolls her eyes.

“Not a chance,” She replies. “He’s a chef, he’ll make his own. And worse, he’ll make it potent as fuck. Better to let him play out his coffee escapades and then chill for the rest of the winter season.” She takes a sip of her own, reasonably spiced coffee. “Usually I’m the one to give him something to transmute, to give him something to focus on while he chats with God, or Istus, or Jeffandrew or whatever. But I think next time around, I’ll let my boy do it for one of his experiments.”

Lydia pauses on her drink. She slowly runs her hand around the edge of the table, before hazarding to ask, “Your boy?”

Lup stops mid sip and has to force down the beam on her face into a tiny smile. “Yeah, he’s a nerd like that.” She misses him already, but she knows that he’s probably up and about now. 

She pulls out her phone and flips through her photos. She skips through a bunch of her family being goofballs and settles on one of her and Barry standing just outside of an ice cream shop. It’s one of the few occasions where Lup convinced him to get a popsicle, instead of something dairy based. They’re both wearing denim shorts, with Lup in a polka dotted crop top, and Barry in a t-shirt that says, “Sun’s out Buns out.”

“This is my boy, Barry,” Lup says, turn the phone so that Lydia can see the picture.

Lydia’s brow furrows as she looks down at it. “That guy was my TA last year.”

“No kidding?” Lup replies with amusement.

“Yeah,” Lydia says. “Intermediate necromancy. Practically flunked me, and nearly expelled my brother!”

Lup tilts her head in confusion. She vaguely remembers Barry talking about two ‘problematic students’ from a class he was assisting a while ago. “Weren’t you two practicing necromancy?”

“Well…” Lydia says, and her voice definitely falters. “I mean...depends on who you’re asking.”

Lup hums, but says nothing further on that. Lydia glances down at the phone again. Her eyes seem to burn into the image. “That’s definitely the guy, bluejeans and everything.” She looks back up at Lup. Her brow is still furrowed. “So you’re dating...him?” It’s not really a question, more of a signal for confirmation.

“Pretty much, yeah.” Lup says, nodding. “We met in intro to biochemistry. I got into the classroom last and managed to find a seat by him. The professor started asking a bunch of boring fucking questions. But Barry raised his hand for every one. When I confronted him on his act of nerdiness, he said he was trying to spare everyone by making the class go faster. And...it sort of...snowballed from there.”

“So you just...dated him? After that? Like, went on dates?” Lydia’s tone sounds slightly incredulous, but Lup barely picks up on it, reminiscing as she thinks back. 

“They weren’t dates per se—” Lup says. “Wait, shit. Were they dates though? Fuck they might’ve been dates.” She scrolls back through her phone, glancing at the pictures from her earlier college days. There are so many pics with Barry in them. A lot of his denim clad butt, more than she’d like to admit. But she looks at the earliest ones of him with a special sort of fondness. Those were when she had no idea what she was feeling at the time.

“At first it was just study sessions,” she explains. “But then we’d talk about other stuff too. And we’d hang after classes, and he got to know my brother and…well, time flew. A lot of it, but enough of it I think.”

“Enough…for what?” Lydia asks.

“To—ugh—It’s so cheesy.” Lup laughs at herself. “To fall in love with him.”

“You’re right,” Lydia says, not quite looking up. She pokes her straw around the bottom of her cup. Her drink is pretty much gone. “It _ is _ very cheesy.”

Lup nods and puts her phone away. She didn’t mean to gush, but, when the opportunity arises—

“So, got anything else going on?” Lydia asks, after depositing her empty cup in a nearby disposal. “You know, aside from not attending what will be the highlight event of the semester?”

“Still mad you’ll lose the bet?” Lup says with a smirk. “Kobe!” She tosses her own empty cup across the room, and it lands in a bin on the other side of the room cleanly—much to the amusement of the cashiers. She dabs as soon as it lands.

“Haven’t lost yet,” Lydia replies, also taken by the smooth throw. “It’s not till this weekend.”

Lup favors her with an honest answer. “I’ve got a performance this weekend. Orchestra. I’m first chair violin.”

“Well shit, ” Lydia replies. “I guess I can understand your reasoning for not RSVPing. That’s a big responsibility.”

“Tell me about it,” Lup says, leaning back in her chair. “But, we’ve been restricted in terms of magic usage so I’ve had to pull stunts out of my ass to make it worth ticket admission.”

“I take it there aren’t enough hardcore classical music enthusiasts around here to support the finer arts.” 

“Not enough that they will tell their friends. We’re trying to really put on a show to draw attention. But I still haven’t worked out the issue with the cannons. I’m waiting on the confirmation on that.”

“Canons?” Lydia asks, brows raised.

“I asked a friend of mine to see if we could get some artillery to throw in to the mix. Ya, know, end the concert with a bang?”

“You really think you’re funny,” Lydia says. 

"Haven't you met me? I'm Lup," Lup replies with a grin. “I’m hilarious.” 

“I suppose I have a similar problem,” Lydia continues. “The DJ we hired for the party backed out last minute.”

“Really? Who’d you get?”

“Some guy name Reggie The Party God. Said he was on a divine quest to perform the most righteous party imaginable.”

“I take it your party wasn’t righteous enough.”

“I guess not,” Lydia muttered. “The flakey bastard.”

“If you’re need of entertainment, my...brother has a band,” Lup offers. Lydia makes a pained face. Yet it still teeters on the edge of sincerity. 

“Lup darling, please don’t take this the wrong way, but—” 

Lup holds up a hand. “Don’t worry,” She says. “I was just mentioning it as a courtesy. To him anyway. You know, nepotism and all that.”

Lydia laughs. “Right. Of course. Understandable”

After a slight pause, Lup tugs at a loose strand of hair and says, “I am...also...sorta in a band?”

Lydia’s ears perk up at that. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, I mean. I mentioned orchestra. But what I’m talking about is a different thing. A new different. Hell, we haven’t even performed in anyone other than friends, and even then, hardly—”

“Are you doing the Battle of the Bands?” Lydia asks, suddenly looking very intrigued. “The one at the Neverwinter Theatre?” Lup kicks herself internally because, to be frank, she’s not down for making every venture of her life a talking point with Lydia. The reputation for knowing just a little too much about everyone’s business precedes her. But backtracking would be difficult now. 

“It’s more Taako’s thing,” Lup replies. “I’m not all that serious about it.” Before she can elaborate on that, Lup is blessed by an alarm on her phone going off. She immediately stands up and turns it off. “That’s my cue to head to class.”

“Oh,” Lydia says, looking oddly put out. “Thanks for the coffee. And the chat.”

“No biggie,” Lup replies. “See you around!”

“Yeah!” Lydia says. “Good luck with your band!”

Lup gives her a double thumbs up, then runs off to class. Along the way, she wonders just what the fuck to make of the whole situation. She files it away in her head for later, just to be certain.

* * *

It’s around 11am when Taako gets out of class, and he thinks now’s a good time to go meet up with Lucretia. They had settled on having the BoB Board meeting at the Davy Lamp, which means that he can talk to Ren as well. He barely makes a step towards the student’s center, before hearing a grating, familiar voice calls out to him from a few feet away.

“Taako! Just the elf I wanted to see.”

Taako turns and spots Edward, hurrying towards him. He’s wearing a sweater of striking, purple leopard print, and hot pink, high-waisted trousers. His hair is greased back so thickly it practically catches the sunlight and holds it in place. Usually Taako admires the vogue twins’ sense of style, but right now it’s too cold, too early, too inconvenient to get an eyeful of _ that _. He clamps down on the groan that wants to escape his throat and puts on a smile.

“Wish I could say the same for you, Edward,” Taako replies, stopping to face him fully. “What’s shaking?”

“Just wanted to bring you back around to our proposition,” Edward says with a grin.

“Proposition?” Taako asks. He tries to wrack his brain. He hadn’t had a chance to run into Ango since the boy came back from the elf council meeting. And he didn’t recall any mentioning about an agreement. But he _ was _ aware that the council was in need of refreshments for the party.

Edward continues. “I am led to believe that you like money, and the making thereof?”

Taako’s eyes narrow. “...Keep talking.” 

“Well, I have a business proposal to make. It’s not an unknown secret on campus that you’re something of a cooking aficionado.”

“Some would say such things, yes,” Taako replies. “Cha’boy is some.”

“Well, be as it is, I’m in desperate need of a caterer for the Rave Echo Wave.”

“Now, Edward—”

“Ah!” Edward cuts him off. “Before you say anything, I would like to preface that you don’t have to attend the event itself, but just prepare a number of entrées to be ready an hour or two beforehand. We can handle transportation and storage if that helps.”

“You just need me to make the food?” Taako asks, because he doesn’t trust like that.

“That’s all,” Edward replies. “Of course, you don’t have to make it all at home. The Neverwinter Theatre has a wonderful kitchen space for hosting such events. You can come in with the ingredients, whip something up, and head out with check in hand. Easy.”

“Well, that’s...doable,” Taako says. It does sound easy. _ Too easy _. But money is money is money. And it falls in line with the burrowing idea he’s had on his mind all week. He glances at his phone to check the time, then glances back at Edward. “You wanna hash out details now or—?”

“I’ll have someone from the committee write up the contract and email it to you later today.” Edward replies. He claps his hands together. “I’m so please you’re willing to help, and at the last minute, too.”

“What can I say?” Taako replies. “I’m amazing like that.”

“We’ll also have to arrange for you to come and check out the facility beforehand,” Edward says. He takes his phone out of his pocket, seemingly to make a note of it.

“Nah, s’cool,” Taako replies. “Taako can work his way around any kitchen.”

“It’s not the kitchen itself that’s the concern, ah—” Edward pauses and waves a hand, as if remembering something. “Those invitations my sister and I handed to you and Lup, do you still happen to have them?”

Taako’s not sure whether to lie and say no, because the envelopes were definitely still sitting on his desk last time he saw them. He had meant to let Lup incinerate them, along with Lucretia’s, but something in the back of his mind told him to hang on to them.

“Who wants to know?” He says. Edward smiles.

“Bring them with you if you haven’t tossed them out, there’s something I’m sure you’d love to see.” He puts his phone away. “How does Wednesday sound, around two?”

“I can make that work,” Taako replies. It means he’ll have to catch a shuttle to get from campus to the theatre between classes, but it won’t hurt to sneak a peek into the venue before the BoB kicks off. Anything to get a competitive edge.

“I hope you’ll rethink attending the event itself,” Edward asks, turning to leave. “ Unless, you know, you still think it’s too beneath you.”

Taako starts walking alway. Without looking back, he shouts, “The only thing beneath me is some good old fashioned bofa!”

He hears Edward sigh with indignation. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“I’m Taako, from TV,” Taako exclaims. “And I’m fucking hilarious!”

* * *

Taako swings open the door of the Davy Lamp, ready to get some free lunch and peace of mind. Orchestra is cancelled today, which means he can go home early and think about literally anything else other than dealing with Leon. There’s the catering thing, which he’s dubious about, but that’s what upfront checks are for. He’s so focused on hurrying out the door that he doesn’t notice Angus standing on the other side of the door, and therefore doesn’t stop himself from crashing into him.

Angus is lucky enough to wear something big enough to cushion his fall—that is, his ridiculously overstuffed backpack. Taako stumbles forward, barely stopping himself from falling hard on the wooden flooring right beside Angus. His hat falls off and rolls down the steps of the porch.

“Shit, kid,” Taako exclaims, running a hand through his hair. “Give a warning before you do your sneak routine around campus, wouldja?”

“Oh my gosh, sir, are you alright?” Angus says, picking himself up. “I’m so sorry!”

“You _ would _ apologize to someone who’s bumped into you,” Taako comments. He checks carefully to make sure Angus didn’t hurt himself. Once he sees that the kid is fine, he gives Angus’s hair a ruffle. “It’s not your fault you’re so dang short, McDangus. Anyone could’ve missed you.” 

Angus pats dust off his clothes. “Actually, my doctor says I’m going to be hitting a growth spurt soon, sir.”

“Get a new doctor, kid,” Taako says immediately. “One that won’t give you such a terrible diagnosis.”

Angus smiles. “I’ll look into that, sir. In the meantime, I saw you heading towards the entrance, and I wanted to ask...well...”

The kid bounces on his heels expectantly. Taako looks down at Angus with mild confusion. Then suddenly it dawns on him.

“Oh! The book!” He takes this backpack off his shoulders. Angus looks like he’s about to jump out of his skin as Taako pulls out a carefully wrapped, leather bound, newly signed copy of the memoirs of Jeff Angel, _ In the Fowl Clutch of Circumstance. _Angus takes it delicately into his small hands, staring at it like it's made of gold.

“Here you go, ya little nerd,” Taako says, though not unkindly. “A deals a deal. You better have fucking won that academic competition of yours. Cha’boy almost got bodied trying to get this damn thing.”

“Oh, the competition was nothing sir,” Angus replies, giving the book a grateful squeeze before depositing it into his own satchel. “It was mostly calculus questions. Easy peasy.” Taako can’t help but show an admirable smile at the kid. He’s one of a kind.

“Getting this book from me can’t be the only reason you're here?” he asks. “You got a case going on?"

“Something like that,” Angus replies. “You wouldn’t have happened to know where Miss Lup is right now?”

“Nah,” Taako replies. He walks down the steps to grab his hat and dust it off, before planting it back on his head. “She went on ahead of me. Said something about owing someone coffee.”

“Oh,” Angus said. “Well, I guess I can wait until later today to talk to her. My case pertains to the upcoming Wave Echo Rave.”

Taako mutters, “And Lup gets mad at _ me _ for sending you on goose chases.” 

“What was that sir?”

“Nothing,” Taako says. “What is it that has you doing recon for Lup all of a sudden?”

“She was able to obtain the student elf council’s planning documents about it,” Angus replies, ignoring Taako’s look of shock. “One of the documents had some information that didn’t line up, so I’m tailing some of the council members right now.”

“How the fuck—” Taako starts.

“Taako,” Lucretia’s voice calls, cutting him off. Taako looks up and sees her wave at him from a nearby corridor. He turns to address Angus and nearly leaps out of his skin when he realizes that the little boy is no longer standing beside him. 

“How the fuck?” he exclaims. The kid is only getting better at the detective shit, and it’s lowkey unsettling. He’s still glancing around while Lucretia walks up to him

“What’s got you looking jumpy?” she asks, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “Let’s grab lunch while I get this meeting going.”

“Can Angus cast teleport?” Taako asks, mystified.

“If anyone would’ve taught him that, it would’ve been you, Taako,” Lucretia replies, pulling him along.

“Yeah, but I defo didn’t.”

“He’s quite observant, and you’re quite showy. A dynamic like generates a lot of learning.”

“No wisdom before lunch, Creesh,” Taako insists. 

They walk into the Davy Lamp, where Ren is working the front counter, as per usual. She waves at both of them as they walk up.

“What can I get you guys?” she asks.

“A veggie wrap,” Taako replies. “Pile that baby on!”

“A strawberry greek yogurt is good,” Lucretia adds. “And two green teas to go with that.”

“And some croissants with jelly tossed in,” Taako says. He gives Lucretia the side eye. “Since you’re _technically_ paying.” Lucretia smirks, but doesn’t bat an eye.

As Ren fixes their orders, Lucretia points over at the table where the meeting will proceed. There aren’t as many people as Taako expects. Seated at a round table is Lucas Millar, Brad Bradson, and Magic Brian. Three nerds with too much time on their hands.

“They’re the technical, communications, and venue heads,” Lucretia mentions. “It’s all just logistical talk today. Nothing you needn’t worry about in regards to performance.”

“Listen,” Taako says. “I can’t perform if there’s no fuckin’ place to perform at. Taako’s all ears.”

As soon as they get their food, they walk over to the table. Lucas is in the middle of explaining something to Brad and Magic Brian as they approach: “Now the check in system is gonna be real state of the art, practically undetectable under normal circumstances, but—oh! Lucretia! There you are! And..._ Taako _.”

“The one and only,” Taako replies, ignoring the less than favorable look he gets from Lucas. He turns one of the chairs around and plops down in the midst of their group. “I hope you all are present when I win this fucking battle. It’s gonna be sick as hell”

“We are organizing the show,” Brad notes. “Of course we’ll be present. But I like your sports-like competitiveness.”

As they go on with the meeting, Taako only half listens, more focused on his sandwich than on his surroundings. But his thoughts do travel back to what Angus said earlier, about tailing the elf council members. Taako waves a hand at Magic Brian, to draw his attention.

“Brian, you’re in elf council right?” Taako asks. “How’s that elf rave whosie whatsit coming along?”

“Why yes!” Brian says excitedly. Something about the way his eyes shine gives Taako a weary feeling. “It’s been a bit touch and go in zese last few days. But you know how it is in the business. Ze show must go on!”

“Yep,” Taako agrees. He takes another bite of his wrap. “The show definitely must go on.”


	13. If your life had a face, I would punch it

Taako takes away three things from Lucretia’s BoB meeting:

  1. It’s boring as fuck
  2. She should treat him to lunch more often. The teas and croissants are nice.
  3. Checking out the theatre before the night of the show might actually be a good idea.

He doesn’t quite understand what Lucas is saying about the theatre’s new security system. Something about issuing special wristbands to everyone so that they can track attendance numbers and provide emergency correspondence quickly. But if there’s one thing for certain, Taako doesn’t go anywhere he can’t easily escape from. He either goes in knowing what he’s in for, or stays being good out here. 

Wherever _here _happens to be at any given time.

While the others continue talking, he sends Kravitz a text message:

**FromTV69: hey babe, how free are you tomorrow?**

**BoneDaddy: I’m very busy**

**FromTV69: cool, you wanna come see some dank wooden statues with me and the crew? should only take about an hour.**

There’s a pause in the conversation, from what Taako can only imagine is Kravitz having a debate with himself. Usually Taako lets Kravitz get his work done if he’s very busy, but he feels kinda bad about the fit he threw on Saturday. So, this is him, extending a backwards kind of olive branch. Of sorts.

He gets a message back after a moment:

**BoneDaddy: You are a terrible influence.**

**FromTV69: who me? :3**

**BoneDaddy: Yes, you.**

**FromTV69: Show’s at 5. first floor of the art building. see you there babe <3**

**BoneDaddy: See you there. <3**

“The text hearts are adorable,” Lucretia whispers to him, which sends a shot of heat traveling up Taako’s face. She wasn't even looking at his phone! How would she know? He sticks his tongue out at her, and she chuckles quietly. She goes back to conducting the meeting, like nothing happened. He wonders how he acquired so many friends who know too much about anything, especially about him.

* * *

Lup sends Magnus a text message as soon as she gets out of class:

**TooHotHotDamn: Hey, that bell thing you made for your project, can I borrow that for the fall concert? ** **🔥**

**LetDogsVote: Sure! You can grab it Friday when it’s over :)**

**LetDogsVote: Also, will you be able to make it to see the exhibition? It’s tomorrow.**

**TooHotHotDamn: Shit! That’s tomorrow? Fuck, I have an online essay tomorrow ** **🔥**

**LetDogsVote: Don’t sweat it! If you wanna dip in and take a look on your own time, you totally can! :0**

**TooHotHotDamn: Cool. Thanks, buddy ** **🔥**

On the way to work, she spots Angus. He’s scampering from one large potted plant of the student center to another. The kid does a good job of being hidden. Were it not for the fact that he’s the only kid in a building of young adults, he probably would have blended in pretty well. She grabs him by the backpack, which elicits a small, surprised yelp from the little boy. He flounders in the air for a minute, before realizing who’s grabbed him so unceremoniously.

“Slow your roll, McDonald!” Lup says, laughing as she helps him settle to his feet. “I was just looking for you.”

“Oh, right,” Angus replies, straightening his glasses. “I got caught up in tailing someone. I was just talking to Mr. Taako about it a few minutes ago, actually.”

“No shit?” Lup askss. “I’ll talk to him later. Mind going ahead and giving me the scoop on that document?”

“Before I get to doing that...” Angus replies, and stands there patiently. He has a look on his face that’s a little too sly for someone his age. Lup rolls her eyes.

“You hang around my brother too much,” She mutters, reaching for her wallet.

“I can learn a lot from Mr. Taako,” Angus replies. “Like never doing any business for free.”

Lup slides him ten dollars. “He doesn’t deserve an apprentice as good as you, Ango.”

“I know, ma’am,” Angus replies, smiling wide as he pockets the money. He slips off his backpack and pulls out a tablet. He pings it on and pulls up a list of information. “I condensed all the files into one word document, and highlighted anything that I deemed suspicious.”

Lup’s gaze skims over the document. Nothing quite raises a red flag. But then a particular line catches her eye. “Why did you highlight the wristband orders?”

“A note was made that they were meant to be for everyone who was of age so that they can use the on site bar,” Angus explains. “But I checked the order quantity and the amount of guests invited, and they were the same.”

“So everyone got one?” Lup asks, watching as Angus scrolls down to the guest list.

“Yep,” he replies. “Frankly, it makes no sense they would do that, since anyone possessing the wrist band could just go to a bar, regardless of age. Usually parties of this caliber have ID check at the door. There’s no way they could distribute the wristbands via invitation without knowing everyone’s ages prior.” He glanced from the tablet to her. “Also what would ‘of age’ be in elf terms?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Lup replies, hand waving that particular question away. “Anything else?”

“Oh, yes. On the list of people attending, you and Mr. Taako are included.”

“What?” Lup asks. “But we didn’t RSVP.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Angus replies. “Everyone who was invited is listed as attending.”

Lup scans the list of names. They are divided into elves, half elves, and non-elves. Most of them don’t ring a bell, but a few do. Among the elves are her and Taako for sure. As well as Ren, Antonia, and a few others. She jumps to the non-elves. Lucretia’s name is on there, as well as a few other people involved in the BoB, like Brad Bradson, and Lucas Miller.

Lup taps thoughtfully on the back of the tablet. She’s definitely missing something here. The thing with the wristbands is weird. But anything that warrants suspicion from Agnus is good enough to warrant further investigation. She kind of regrets telling Taako to get rid of their invites earlier, but it’s probably for the best. She’d have to get a closer look at someone else’s.

“Any info on the vender that produced the wristbands?” Lup asks.

“Afraid not, ma’am,” Angus replies. “Though, I think I might have a lead. I just need to stop by the Neverwinter Theatre to check.”

“You do that,” Lup says. She hands him back the tablet. “And send that document back to me.”

“What are you going to do?” Angus asks, tucking the tablet back into his bag.

“I’m gonna talk to Taako about it first,” Lup says. “And then, well...then maybe we’ll raise a little bit of hell.”

* * *

Taako and Lucretia cross the large, lawn covered quad that separates the student center from the main library. As they do, they spot Magnus and Merle chilling on a bench, just a short distance away. Magnus is covered in wood shavings and slinging a large axe over his shoulder with one hand. He looks like he’s text someone with his free hand. Merle is reclined on the rest of the bench, headphones over his ears, with his head bobbing to whatever music is probably churning through them at the moment.

“Hey, Magnus!” Lucretia calls. “Finishing up your exhibit for tomorrow?”

Magnus looks up and immediately straightens when he spots the two walking towards him. He pats his shirt and sawdust falls off him. “How’d ya know?”

“Lucky guess,” Taako says. Merle takes notice of the two of them as well and slips his headphones off.

“Hey, any of you guys heard of Lil Nas X?” he asks. “He’s got some pretty good music!”

“Istus, help us,” Lucretia whispers under her breath. Taako makes a pained face and immediately tries to turn the topic back over to Magnus.

“Speaking of the exhibition,” he says. “How fancy is it? How expensive are the cheeses? I’m bringing the boy along and I don’t want him to be disappointed by the attire.”

“Do I have to wear starched pants?” Merle asks.

“I’d say more artsy than fancy,” Magnus replies, tapping his chin in thought. “You have your typical art scene kids there. Maybe a few lumber appreciators. A collector or two. But most of the time people like to dress up.”

“So what you’re saying is,” Taako asks. “The dress code for Taako is Taako.”

“Yes?”

“Excellent!” 

“Hey, can you do something for me?” Magnus asks. He extends his axe to Taako, blade turned inward. “Can you hang on to this for me? I have to go to the gym soon, and they don’t take kindly to sharp objects being brought into the facility.”

“Cha’boy doesn’t take kindly to sharp object either,” Taako says. But he still takes the large axe with a dubious look on his face. It’s not as heavy as it appears. But for anyone that’s not Magnus, that’s a bit of an understatement.

“Just keep an eye on it till tomorrow,” Magnus says. “I’ll need it for the exhibition.”

“What, you’re gonna be chopping wood?” Merle asks, getting dangerously close to saying something inappropriate. Everyone takes that as their cue to leave him on the bench. Taako and Lucretia speed walk to the library, while Magnus practically jogs across the quad. Merle yells in protest after them. “Hey, I was kidding!”

“Creesh,” Taako says, holding the axe firmly in his grasp. “Maybe you should keep an eye on this, it’s too dangerous in my possession.”

“Bold of you to assume it is any safer in my hands,” She replies, looking just as put out.

“You know what, that tracks. Nevermind.”

* * *

Lup tries her best to focus on studying her textbook at the front desk. But a certain someone is leaning over the counter, becoming a pressing distraction.

The someone is Barry. 

He drops off a bag of cookies from the campus creamery, and stays to peer at Lup’s computer screen, which is definitely supposed to have the campus directory, and not the third season of fantasy Stranger Things queued up.

“Babe,” Barry says. “We already watched this weeks ago.”

“But I wanted to see it again!” Lup protests. “They made the colors so pretty this season.”

“You’re just sad about Alexi,” Barry points out, knowing exactly what episode she’s on.

“Yes, _ and? _” Lup pouts, grabbing the bag of cookies defensively. How dare her boyfriend come to her workplace and bring her cookies and poke fun at her streaming choices! She has studying to procrastinate on!

Barry looks at her fondly, and she’s a little annoyed that she has to stay put for another two hours.

“You’re gonna be home after work, right?” Barry asks. Lup leans forward.

“Yeah, I figured we could go over the set one more time, if we—”

“Hey!” A voice calls, interrupting the two of them.

Barry turns around and Lup peaks over the counter to see Avi hurrying towards her. His face is bright with excitement. He slows to a stop right at the desk. “I got approval on the canons!” 

“Fuck yeah!” Lup yells in response, which garners a chorus of shushes from the nearby students around her. She shrinks down and gives Avi a quiet fist bump. “We’re gonna blow this motherfucker up!”

“Cannons?” Barry asks. He looks nervous, “Is this for the BoB? Hun, I don’t think that would fit within theatre safety regulations.”

“Oh, no, this is for the fall concert,” Lup says. 

“It’s less of an actual canon and more of a sonic generator,” Avi explains. “But it’s designed to work to the same affect, and it’ll be positioned far enough away from the audience that it’ll wake them up if they fall asleep, but not create any audio damage or technical faults.”

“A very thin line we have to walk there,” Lup notes. She points at Avi. “On that fact. We have to play this one real cool, so no mentioning this to Leon. Got it?”

“Got it, ” Avi replies. He gives a thumbs up. “Magnus and I are gonna set it up backstage later this week.”

Lup leans back in her seat and pumps her fists in the air. “Oh yeah,” she says. “It’s all coming together.”

* * *

It’s later in the afternoon when Taako gets home, Magnus’s axe still tow. Taako enters the house, and is immediately greeted by music playing in the air. As he walks into the kitchen he looks around to see what speaker the sound is coming from, but then he realizes it not anywhere near this part of the house. Apparently there’s also no one in the house, what with being so quiet, save for the music. There’s the distinct sound of the violin and piano—and something else? 

Whatever it is, it’s calming and beautiful.

He sets down his stuff and follows the melody curiously to the basement, and the thought occurs to him, _ oh band practice. _ But then he remembers that it’s Monday, and he and the boys don’t have band practice today. But, as soon as he hits the bottom stair and peeks inside, there’s Lup on her violin and Barry on his keyboard. Sitting beside the two of them, seated in a folding chair, bow and cello in arm...is Kravitz.

“Hey!” Taako shouts, disrupting the flow of the song. The trio all stop, surprised by his interruption.

“Looks like we’ve been caught boys!” Lup announces, lowering her bow.

“Anyone care to explain _ this _,” Taako gestures at the three of them, his eyes narrowing at Kravitz specifically. Kravitz leans his cello against a stand and rises to greet his boyfriend with a hug.

“Don’t get up to kiss me, traitor!” Taako yells. Kravitz gets up and kisses him anyway. He smiles as Taako makes a half-hearted noise of protest. Lup makes retching noise behind them, as is sibling custom.

Taako sticks his tongue out at her.

“Hey, at least I didn’t gatekeep you with a barrier spell, coward!” Lup yells.

“Well I didn’t conscript your boyfriend into playing for my band, thief.”

“So much for keeping this practice on the down low,” Barry sighs, flipping his pages back to the beginning.

Taako plops down into the nearest bean chair. It makes the loud, familiar _ TOOT _ noise. “You’d have to try harder than that one if you’re gonna sneak past me!” He peeks at the sheet music on the stand that Kravitz was using. “What are you playing, anyway?”

“Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50,” Kravitz says.

“Please use real words, babe.”

“It’s by the cannon guy,” Kravitz says, a little less excitedly.

“Is that what you’re playing for the battle?” Taako asks. “It sounded too mellow for that, from what I could hear upstairs.”

“No, we’ve already got the first set down,” Lup says. “We just wanted to try some different things if we make it to the next round.” She reaches over and pats Barry on the arm. “Barry’s a little rusty, but other than that, we’re good.”

“Rusty?” Barry says, incredulous. Lup gives his arm a gentle poke with her bow.

“You guys going to Magnus’s thing tomorrow?” Taako asks.

“Taking an exam,” Lup replies.

“Grading papers,” Barry says.

“Nerds, the both of you,” Taako says. He looks to Kravitz, who has reseated himself beside his cello. “You’ll be there though, right babe?”

“A bit later, but I’ll be there,” Kravitz says. 

“That’s all I need to hear,” Taako says, and hops up from his seat. He moves around them and heads toward the stairs.

“You’re not going to stay and listen in?” Kravitz asks. Taako shakes his head.

“Nah, homie, Taako’s going upstairs to practice.” He hurries up the stairs and calls down to them. “Can’t let you motherfuckers catch me slipping!”

“Wait, hold up!” Lup says. Taako stops at the top of the stairs. He waits for Lup to meet him there. When she does, she asks, “Are you a little nervous? About the BoB?”

“No, are you?” he asks.

“No.”

“Good.”

They give each other a big hug anyway. Then Taako goes up, while Lup heads back down.

* * *

Tuesday is good. Taako gets out of classes around twelve on Tuesday, and he decides to go home to nap before prepping for Magnus’s exhibition. He would prefer to use today for one more practice before the BoB, since Lup decided to use the day before for her own band—the schemer! But Tres horny boys have improved a lot in the past week. He’s pretty sure that they’ve got the first round pretty squarely in the bag.

That, and he guesses that he should support Magnus’s wood shop thing. Because they’re friends or whatever.

Before he can linger on anymore minute thoughts, he gets nearly assaulted at the bus stop. By, well, Edward of all people.

“Taako!” Edward whispers, though it’s loud enough to make Taako want to jump out of his skin. “My sister has a crush on your sister!”

Taako barely registers that. “What—_ gross _—WHAT?”

“I know! I hate it,” Edward says. He looks opposite his usual calm and composed self. His pink tinted shades are all askew. He runs an anxious hand through his usually slick hair. “Please tell Lup to break my sister’s fucking heart so we can go back to our goddamn nefarious scheme!” 

Taako grabs Edward by his the lapels of his silk shirt and pulls him aside, away from prying eyes. As soon as they’re in the clear, Taako takes a breath. “Okay, one, what the absolute fuck? What would warrant Lydia to like my sister, much less—fucking have a _ crush _ on her? And two—” He points a finger at Edward’s face. “Your plan is actually evil?”

“Of course it’s fucking evil!” Edward hissed. “What kind of rep do you think we’re running here?”

“I’ll give you points for honesty,” Taako replies. His face scrunches up as a thought hits him. “Wait, does Lup like Lydia back?”

“I have no fucking idea,” Edward says. “All I know is: my sister hasn’t shut the fuck up about them spending time together for the _ past three days. _”

Wait-” Taako pulled out his phone. He scrolled to the picture of them hanging out at the plaza. “So there was more than just this—?”

“Stalking your sister is weird, Taako,” Edward comments, looking at the photo with derision.

Taako pinches the bridge of his nose. “I wasn’t _ stalking _, she didn’t tell me where she was going! I spotted her and snapped the photo for blackmail. Fantasy Jesus I did not think it was that fucking serious.”

“God I wish my sister would not tell me anything.” Edward said. “It started out with her talking shit about our old TA, Barry Denimpants or whatever—”

“Bluejeans,” Taako corrects. It dawns on him. “Oh! You guys were those problems students from last year—”

“It wouldn’t have been a problem,” Edward says, through grit teeth. “If he hadn’t tried to interrupt our ritual!”

“My dude,” Taako says. “I know less than jack shit about necromancy. But I think zapping the life forces and body parts of innocent people counts as problematic.”

“Semantics,” Edward says, waving a hand. “The point is, I thought she was just griping about him as usual, because we both hate him. But then she started griping about how he’s dating Lup and what the fuck does Lup see in him and all that shit.”

“Hey, don’t talk about Barry like that, dipshit!” Taako shouts. His hands immediately begin to radiate with arcane energy. “He may have ruined your fucked up plan, but he’s a fucking decent person and he’s good to my sister.”

Edward takes a deep breath and puts up his hands. “Taako, I know drama is our thing. We live by it, we thrive by it. Whatever. But all I asked for was some good, old fashioned, evil scheming. Nothing major, you know? Not some stupid love triangle that my sister got caught up in, that I have to put up with, ON TOP planning a fucking party of the millennia. The only reason I’m even telling_ you_ is because if I told your sister, _ she would kill me._”

“Yeah, she would.” Taako replies, decidedly stunned by the whole thing. “I’m...I’m gonna talk to Lup.”

“Please do,” Edward says. The campus shuttle pulls up, and students start loading on board. Edward turns and quickens his pace in order to catch it.

“So, you guys _ are _ planning something evil, right?” Taako calls after him. “Like, we can keep a tab on that one?”

“Goodbye, Taako!” Edward calls back, before disappearing into the bus.

Taako rubs his temples. He was not prepared to be hit with this missile of information today. There’s no way in fuck he’s going to sneak a nap into his schedule now. 

In thinking about this, he realizes one more pressing issue.

“Fuck, that was my fuckin’ bus! FUCK!”

After the initial frustration wears off—and another bus rolls by—Taako sends his sister a text message: 

**FromTV69: twin talk. NOW**

**TooHotHotDamn: I have an essay tonight, hmu tomorrow ** **🔥**

**FromTV69: uuuuugggh fine. but I’m tearing u a new one, asap. good luck on your essay**

**TooHotHotDamn: Thanks koko ** **🔥**

* * *

Five o’clock rolls around faster than Taako expects, but not fast enough. As he stands outside of the Arts Building, wearing a silver sequin jumpsuit and deep blue hat, his mind is still on what Edward told him earlier. He glances at the photo of Lup and Lydia hanging out on his phone. He’s very tempted to text it to Lup, demanding the meaning of it. But he respects her need to study before a test. If there was one truce they held—beyond twins talk—it was that school comes above everything else.

Lucretia meets him first. She’s dressed in a long, plum colored dress, her silvery hair fixed in a lovely finger wave. She wears a pair of rhinestone-covered hoop earrings, which glitter almost as much as Taako’s suit.

“Oh, we need a picture of this look,” Taako insists, taking her aside and walking towards a window for good lighting. Lucretia smiles, her shyness peeking through the styled confidence. As they take a selfie, Merle shows up, wearing a floral top that isn’t a Hawaiian t-shirt for once.

“Davenport is coming right behind me,” he says. “He’s parking. Hey! You two taking pictures? Let me in!”

The three of them take a few more pictures. Davenport finds them easily, thanks to Taako’s sparkling outfit. He’s wearing a smart burgundy sweater over a loose collared shirt and black slacks.

“Who knew it took looking at a bunch of wood to make us all dress so nice,” Merle comments.

Taako points finger at Merle. “You’re on probation here, Old Man. I catch a single dirty word out of you, and I torch this place to the fucking ground. It’ll be easy with all this free timber.”

“You wood never,” Merle says, crossing his arms. Taako opens his mouth to yell, but Lucretia and Davenport grabs his arms and pulls him inside. Merle shoots him a smug grin.

The art building, like any big gallery, is slightly cold, spacious in a way that’s supposed to glamorous, and possessing a confusing layout. There are too many people and not enough wine or cheese to go around. The music is somewhere between ska and synthwave, but never either. The group steps through the wide front doors, into an open atrium. People gather in clumps around some of the bigger carved pieces, trying to derive meaning from their strange, evocative structures.

Magnus makes his way towards them as soon as they enter. He towers over most of the crowd, so it’s not hard to spot him. He’s dressed in a black t-shirt and matching capris.

“Why the shady look, big guy?” Merle asks.

“All the contributors were told to dress in black,” Magnus replies. “It’s so our projects can be the centerpieces, not us.”

“Istus, I can’t believe this bougie bullshit,” Taako says.

“You’re the one in the glitzy pantsuit!” 

“Yes, and I’m rocking it. Fuck you.”

The group makes an immediate beeline to the food table, knowing that the sculptures on displays can wait, but the chocolate covered strawberries cannot. Davenport protests when they start piling their small plates (and pockets) with food from the large platters, but they go about doing it anyway. It’s free food!

Taako spots Kravitz from within the crowd and waves him over. His boyfriend approaches, dressed in all black—as per usual—but more tastefully than the students around him. As soon as Kravitz gets close, he opens his mouth to say something, but Taako puts up a hand.

“Let me guess,” Taako says. “At least four people asked you if you were one of the exhibitors.”

Kravitz smiles. “Five. I should’ve known better.”

Taako slips a wine glass in his hand and a kiss on his cheek. “Nah, babe. You look good, and you fit right in.”

“Thanks, love.”

“Gross,” the rest of them say, to make up for the fact that Lup isn’t there to say it.

“Come this way!” Magnus interjects, waving them all towards a particular hallway. “Can you believe they gave Jules and I a whole room? Most of the students just had a pedestal.”

“The best for the best,” Lucretia says. Magnus beams and leads them to the exhibit.

There is already a long line of people streaming into and out of the room. A large sign hangs outside the open doorway. It reads: _It is the Nature of Dreams to End._

A rather imposing, full figured woman is busy talking with a group of people. She wears a black sweater and matching back jeans. Her thick, dark hair is pulled back by a pretty black bow.

Magnus calls to her. “Hey Jules, the gang’s all here!”

Julia turns and immediately waves to everyone. She politely excuses herself away from the group and walks over. Well, more like strides over, the people nearby parting away from her like water. Even with the dark clothes, she seems to shine with a confident radiance.

“Took your sweet time getting here!” She declares, planting her hands on her hips.

“Food first, art second,” Taako says, giving her hand a polite shake. “How are you?”

“Grand,” She says, returning the shake. “You guys look great!”

“Interesting show you got going on here,” Merle adds, munching on charcuterie and getting crumbs in his beard. “I don’t know diddly about art. But seems like you got a good turnout!”

“Yeah, the shows going pretty spectacularly. Right, babe?” She gives Magnus a thunderous clap on the back that—if given to anyone else—might have knocked the wind right out of him.

But Magnus is a sturdy boy and rolls it off like it's nothing. He smiles at her, enraptured. “Oh yeah, we got a lot of folks interested in calling us for future work.”

“Mind giving us a proper tour?” Lucretia asks.

Magnus and Julia lead the group around the room. Around all four walls were projections of stars—a hundred tiny lights falling towards a single wooden planet fixed into the center of the room. It is surrounded by twelve wooden rings, either circling around it perfectly, or doing their own splendid dance in its orbit.

“This one is called—,” Magnus says, pointing to the lights. “—Cycles.”

As they walk, music plays from speakers overhead. The track is a quartet of strings. All calming and sad. Like watching a sunrise and wondering if it’s your last.

“What’s the track that’s playing?” Kravitz asks, rather taken by it.

“This current one is called _On the Nature of Daylight_,” Julia replies. “The track after it is called...well..._Julia_.”

“I picked that one out,” Magnus says proudly. Julia hooks her arm in his and chuckles.

“Couples are the worst,” Taako comments, immediately grabbing Kravitz’s hand. Kravitz shoots him a look, to which Taako only responds with a knowing grin.

They look at a podium surrounded by ducks of various shapes, sizes, and levels of detail. The title reads, “Giving it my Best.” The next display is a large circular wooden bed frame, that just has carvings of different dogs on it. The title reads, “All Dogs on the Moon.”

As the second track starts playing, this one a simple piano—they all take notice of a miniature wooden cabin sat in the middle of an upturned box, filled with water. Golden light pours out of the windows. It sits on a small island, with two miniature trees, and a large open porch. A path leads from the front door to the water, which—instead of being clear—was an iridescent black. The title of the piece read “Coming Home at Last.”

“This,” Kravitz said, pointing to the cabin. “The lake around it...sort of reminds me of the astral sea.”

“Julia made that one,” Magnus said. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It’s…lovely,” Lucretia starts. She looks over the rest of the room. “You two have done a marvelous job.”

“Oh!” Magnus exclaims. “I almost forgot!” He runs over to a corner of the room. There, standing in a corner, is the large bell contraption that Tres Horny Boys had used earlier for their band practice. Magnus starts cranking the wheel excitedly.

“We managed to fix a spring to it,” Julia says. “So it can play kinetically, manually, and—if we can get the battery going before Friday, electrically.”

Magnus stops cranking and pulls was seems to be a large key out of a slot. The machine whirs to life, and slowly begins ringing a melody. Like the tracks of the speakers, the tune is also calm, and a little bittersweet. The crinkle tinkle of the smaller bells carry the melody, while the bigger bells ring a log, steady rhythm.

“What’s this one called Magnus?” Lucretia asks, looking at the additions to the device with fascination. 

Magnus shrugs. “Well, we didn’t quite have a name for it. By the time we finished it, we were pretty firmly set on using it for the BoB.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I offhandedly called it Madame Director, because the tune seemed to suit Lucretia.”

“And it kind of stuck,” Julia says, smiling.

Lucretia seems taken aback by that, glancing between them, and the still-playing machine. Without saying a word, she walks up to Magnus and gives him a big hug.

“Thank you,” she says, her voice wavering. “I’m sure it’s gonna be great for the show.”


	14. You will pay for your Insolence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer than the previous ones. I tried to sweep over it as often as I could, but my eyes are exhausted, so please forgive any typos :0!

They’re sat on a bench on the second floor of the art building, the group is. 

Merle complains about his aching feet. Lucretia points out, helpfully, that they've only been walking around for half an hour. Magnus and Julia stand nearby, chatting with some other wood shop students. Through a wide glass window, they all can see the large, wooden statues down below on the first floor. Davenport is still on the first floor, getting into a very heated debate with another professor over a collection of carved, miniature sailing ships.

Taako sits with one arm slung around Kravitz’s shoulder. He wants to text Lup, see if she’s done with her exam, and if he confront her for being so sneaky. Sneaky isn’t Lup’s style, it’s Taako’s. And _ nobody _ steals Taako’s flavor. 

As he grabs his phone to text her, he notices an email notification. It’s sent directly from the Elf Student Council secretary, Jenkins. Edward has been CC’d as well. Which, considering he is the president of the organization, checks out. Attached is a contract for the catering on Saturday.

The only actual message in the email reads: _ For consideration. _

In lieu of responding to the email, Taako opts for making a phone call, the contact info at the bottom being helpfully provided. 

“Hello?” A recognizable voice picks up on the end. “Who’s calling?”

“Yes, this is Taako,” Taako says, putting on all the panache he can muster. “You know, from tv?”

“Ah! Taako!” Edward replies. He sounds surprisingly more put together than he did earlier. His voice rings through the phone loud enough for Taako to tamper the volume down. “What has you at my ear at the moment?”

“Well, I hate to be a bother,” Taako says, lying through his teeth. “We still on for me to swing by the theatre tomorrow and give the kitchen the good ole once over? Gotta make sure it’s up to cha’boy’s standards. Can’t bake bread in a lukewarm oven, as they say.”

Taako ignores the face that Kravitz pulls over the haphazard euphemism. 

“Oh, no not at all!” Edward says, bearing the same showy voice as before. “Some of the council members and I will be headed over there to work out logistics. I’ll give you the tour myself while we’re at it.” 

Taako’s not looking forward to _ two _ boring event meetings in one week, but if it means walking away with a secured bag—and, peeking at the numbers on that contract, he’d be _ quite _secured—he’s game.

“Sounds like a plan,” he replies. “See you at, two, was it?.”

“Two o’ clock indeed.” Edward’s tone tempers down just a bit. “And, just so we know where we stand, you cool with all that? Even after the whole..._ definitely _ evil thing?”

“Would I still be getting paid?” Taako asks.

“Yes, of course.”

“Then cha’boy’s doing the catering.” Taako gives Kravitz’s arm a squeeze. “Listen, I’ve got a boyfriend here, and he ain’t gonna sugar baby himself.”

Kravitz sputters immediately. Julia bursts out laughing. Lucretia, Magnus, and Merle all pull faces and glance around for the nearest exit. Taako grins, waving a hand like he isn’t trying to cause a little bit of chaos.

“Glad to hear it,” Edward rolling right along. “Ta ta!”

The phone hangs up. Taako gives it a slow, thoughtful turn in his hand. He rises from his seat and looks over at Magnus. 

“Where’s the restroom in this place?” He asks. 

Magnus points down a nearby hallway. “Around the corner, first door on the left, near the stairs. Don’t fall in!”

“Ha ha,” Taako says, in mock laughter. He leans down and gives Kravitz a kiss on the cheek. “Be right back. Don’t miss me too much.”

“I’ll do my best, babe,” Kravitz replies, smiling. 

Taako darts down the hallway and turns a corner. Instead of going into the restroom, he stops at the top of the staircase. He grabs his phone to make another phone call, this time to someone else.

“Agnes!” he says, as soon as he hears it pick up. “Where are you right now?”

“I’m right behind you, sir.” 

Taako turns and nearly leaps out of his skin when he sees the little boy standing where there had previously been nothing. He flails and grips onto the railing of the nearby stairs for good measure. Angus looks unfazed, standing just two steps beneath him. He’s dressed fancily. Which for this event, is par for the course.

“Pan alive, don’t do that!” Taako says, through grit teeth. He breathes a sigh and tries to regain composure. “_ What _ are you doing here, Ango?”

“I was invited to the event by Mr. Magnus,” Angus replies. “I just arrived a short time ago. Mr. Davenport told me you all would be up here.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay. You free tomorrow, kid?” Taako asks, jumping to the point. “I need you to come with me somewhere.”

“The Neverwinter Theater, sir?” Angus asks.

Taako lowers his brow. “How’d you know?”

“I’m the world’s greatest detective, sir,” Angus replies, like he doesn’t remind them all at least once a week. “When I attended the elf council meeting last week, I signed up for their listserv. I’ve been getting updates on the formation of the Wave Echo Rave this past week.”

“Damn kid, you’re good,” Taako replies, showing a rare spark of admiration in his eyes.

“I know sir,” Angus replies, not letting the compliment faze him. “What I’m gleaning from the situation is _ you’re _ catering for the event. Many of their emails stressed a lack of viable catering companies.”

“Yeah, that would be the sitch, kid,” Taako says with a grin. “Got anything other than a cellphone that can work as a recording device.”

“Are you asking me to bug the theatre sir?”

“Cha’boy’s asking you to gather hard evidence that proves those motherfuckers are not to be trusted. I’ll be the distraction, you run around and do your...boy detective thing.”

Angus nods. “I’m perfectly fine with going with you, sir...For a price.”

Taako face falls. “Not playing games around here, are we D’jangus?” 

Angus shakes his head. “I’m grateful for the book, sir, but a good detective’s time is valuable.”

“I’ll have my people talk with your people,” Taako replies. He motions for Angus to follow him back around the corner. “Let’s go hang with the squad for now.”

“Sounds good, sir!” Angus replies, hurrying to follow after him.

Taako nods and turns around the corner. His mind flows back to Lup. He’s going to have such a talking with her when he gets back.

* * *

_ Tear me a new one? _ Lup wonders, glancing at her phone. Taako can definitely be dramatic, but she can’t think of anything that would warrant a threat from him. At least not of late.

She types through her exam, stuck at home while her friends go and have a good time at Magnus and Julia’s exhibit. Her only solace for being a good student is a promise of take out from Barry when he finishes grading papers on campus. That, and hopefully some lovin’. But until then, it’s work time.

Lucretia occasionally sends her photos. Most of them are of Taako, Magnus, and Merle goofing off around the gallery. Of her brother and Kravitz being more adorable than Taako would ever, _ ever _ admit. There’s one video of Davenport’s pained expression being zoomed in on. Another of Merle leaning too close to a statue and nearly toppling it over. Lup laughs at each one, they look real cute. 

She loves them all so much.

As she finishes up the last of her assignment, she receives a text message:

**ThisBinchHere: Hey, did your dumbass brother talk to you today?**

**TooHotHotDamn: No one gets to call him a dumbass but me 🔥**

**TooHotHotDamn: But no, I haven’t seen his dumb ass at all today. Why do you ask? 🔥**

There’s a bit of a pause, and then a response.

**ThisBinchHere: My dumbass brother is hiring him to cater the Rave. I figured you were going to be assisting or something. **

Lup is _immediately_ suspicious. Taako mentioned nothing of this. How had she not heard sooner? When was he talking to Edward? Lup can’t let Lydia onto the fact that she know nothing about this, not after that whole talk of making bets and stupid plans. 

**TooHotHotDamn: I’ll get back to you 🔥**

Lup sighs and flops back onto her bed. It’s 6pm, but it’s dark as fuck outside—no thanks to it being November. She’s alone and has to finish an exam. She needs to smuggle a canon into the music auditorium by Friday. What a long fucking week—and it’s only _Tuesday_. Not to mention the BoB starting tomorrow.

She’s going to have such a talking with Taako when he gets home.

* * *

The group (or as Taako likes to call them, Taako and his Merry Crew) all get home around 7pm. Magnus stays on campus to hang with Julia a bit longer. Davenport pulls up a saved episode of Fantasy Nova, which Lucretia joins him on the couch to watch. Merle volunteers to walk Angus home.

Taako heads upstairs. As soon as he enters his room, he slips off his fancy duds and pulled on an oversized t-shirt. All the clothes that he bought for the BoB are sprawled on his bed. He’s pretty sure he hasn’t missed anything, but his mind races to make a last minute swap out. He heads to the closet.

They sort of share a closet, Lup and Taako. It’s a walk in closet, with doors that lead to both their rooms on either side. This was a feature of the house that the twins had been immediately sold on the moment they learned about it. On one side were all their garments, neatly hung. (Well, Lup’s side is neat. Taako’s is kind of scattered and non-formulaic.) There is a clear divider jutting out between the twin’s clothes, but that rarely stopped either of them from taking a gander at the other’s wardrobe. 

Taako walks inside the closet to find Lup already there, rummaging furiously through her side. Opposite the hanging clothes is a built-in dresser to hold undergarments, and wide enough for the twins to sit on and have covert twin time if the need arose. 

“Hey, goofus,” Taako says, sitting down on the dresser, tone nonchalant. “Getting ready for the BoB.”

“What’s up, dingus?” Lup asks, still searching. “And yeah. Trying to find some sort of bridge between Barry and Kravitz that won’t have us look like a gothic time capsule.”

Taako snorts. “Would it bug you if I snatched a thing or two for costumes?”

“Nah, go for it,” She says. She pulls out a little black dress, studying it for a moment before putting it back where she found it.

Taako quirks an eyebrow. Lup seems a little distracted at the moment, but that no reason not to grill her on what’s been going on lately. He takes a gamble with a change in topic. “Hey, if Krav were to ever sleep over here, not now but in the future—Would you be cool with that?”

“I mean, Barry sleeps in my room,” Lup replies, pulling out a sparkly red top. “I see no difference in situation.”

“Gross,” Taako replies. “Also, Barry has a room.”

“Had a room,” Lup replies. “It’s a lab now. We might as well share my room until we can find our own place.”

Taako files that tidbit of information for a later conversation. Not that it hasn’t come up a couple of times before. But in the meantime—

“Just be considerate,” Lup pipes. She’s looking directly at Taako now. “The last thing I want to hear is you two going at it in the middle of the night.”

“That’s rich coming from you!” Taako mutters.

“I cast silencing spells!”

“Only sometimes!” Taako says, volume increasing. He snatches a few clothes and starts to vacate the premises. “You know what, I’m out. I’m fucking out. I want no more of this conversation.”

Right before he power walks out of the space, he notices the clothes hanging in her closet. Quite a few of them are brand new, and he can tell because he’s _ always _ rooting through her side of the closet. The twins can’t keep each other from new things for so long. Taako knows Lup has a secret compartment in her boudoir for jewelry. She knows he keeps his best shoes in a locker under his bed. The whole deal of being a sibling is stealing the other person’s shit like you own it.

“Where’d you get those duds?” he asks, pointing. “They’re fancy.”

“Oh, these?” Lup asks, offhandedly. “Shopping.”

Taako would waved that off any other day, but he knows _ exactly _the last time she went shopping. Taako walks all the way back into the closet and takes his phone out of his pocket. He forces it at her face.

“Explain,” he says.

Lup blinks at him and at the screen with surprise. It’s a photo of her and Lydia. Hanging out at the mall. The angle is clearly taken from up above. Lup is baffled by the image. _ How did he get that? Fuck, did he and Krav go to the plaza? Is that what he’s being weird about? _ She can tell when it was taken, because it was obviously Saturday, but still—

“Stalking is weird, ko,” is all she replies. Taako reaches into the closet and throws a shirt at her.

“Not as weird as this!” he says, waving the phone around. “Please tell me you are not hanging out with Lydia. On purpose! Look me in the eye and tell me you’re not. _ You’re not _.”

Lup yanks the shirt off her face. “I’m not.”

“Liar!” Taako grabs a nearby sweater from off the floor and throws it at Lup’s head. She lets out a surprised squawk and stumbles back as it collides.

“I’m serious!” She yells. “She kept bugging me at work, trying to get me to go to that dumbass event of theirs. And when that didn’t work she bargained for a free shopping trip. I was just in it for the free stuff.” Lup picks up a jacket and starts slapping her brother with the sleeves. He squawks in protest. 

“What’s the third degree here?” She continues. “What—aren’t you like, working for Edward now or something? I haven’t seen any word about you being chummy with him.”

Taako crouches down, shielding himself with his arms. “It’s a job, Lup. Money! I have to work for it, while you got free clothes out of your false friendship.” 

Lup pauses her assault. “It’s not a—That’s different. She was acting like shit and I called her out on it. She’s definitely not a good person. But when you talk to her, I mean, _ really. _..she’s not that bad to hang out with.”

Taako looks mortified. He expected her response to be more teasing? Definitely teasing. Not a whole ass confession. He yells, “Who are you and what have you done with my sister!”

Lup tosses a pair of trousers on his head. Then sits on top of him for good measure. He grumbles and lays out on the floor. They’re both on the floor now, the entire closet a mess. They stay quiet for a while, exhausted from the yelling and throwing things.

“They’re not safe to hang with,” Taako says, after a beat. “Istus, if you heard the amount of shit they talk.”

“I can imagine,” Lup agrees. “But do you think…” She stops talking for a minute, thinking over the past week. 

“Do I think what?” Taako asks, his voice genuinely concerned.

“I don’t think it's best to be friends with her,” Lup admit. “With Lydia. But I don’t want to be on bad terms with her either. Is that bad?”

“You’re not a bad person, Lulu,” Taako says, patting her back. “You were just born with the unfortunate condition of having a conscience.”

“Thanks, Koko,” Lup replies. She gives his arm a pat.

“But you should not hang out with her anymore. I mean it.”

Lup smirks. “I will if you quit the catering job.”

“_Money, _” Taako grumbles in protest. Lup rolls her eyes.

_ “Fine,” _She says, matching his tone. “But after this week, we don’t engage with those motherfuckers anymore.”

“That’s good with Taako,” Taako says. “We just have this week, finals, and then winter break. Right?”

“Right.” Lup says, she gets on her feet and then turns to help her brother onto his. “No more rivalry. Just the BoB and the fall concert, Deal?”

“Deal.”

They hug on it, and Taako shuffles off to his room with the clothes he pulled from the closet. He’s about to clear everything away and fuck off to bed, but then he notices the bright yellow envelopes sitting on his vanity. He wordlessly walks over and rifles through them. It’s just the envelopes, the invitation, wristbands, and the pizza coupon.

Taako tucks the envelops deep into his backpack, and the coupon into his jacket pocket. He has to check out the theatre between classes, so not much time to grab lunch. Not to mention Triple date night is tomorrow, after the BoB. Might as well throw free pizza in the mix.

He feels like he’s earned it. Tomorrow will be a long fuckin’ day.

* * *

Everyone’s shuffled off to bed. Lup heads downstairs to lay out her backpack near the door. She’ll get out faster if all her stuff is downstairs. As she heads back towards the staircase, she pauses. The sound of pretty piano music rises softly from the basement. Her ears pique curiously, and she follows the sound down the stairs.

She stops at the doorway of the basement, and smiles at her discovery. Barry is seated with his keyboard near the makeshift stage, his hands flowing over the keys like water. There is a music stand already set up in front of him, but it’s clear he already knows the song by heart. Lup can’t put a name to the song he’s playing, but it’s very pretty and familiar. She wordlessly passes through the doorway.

He looks up as she enters, but says nothing, continuing to play. Lup walks over to him and wraps her arms lovingly around his shoulders. She glances at the title of the music: _ Chopin. Nocturne op.9 No.2. _

Barry doesn’t spend much of his free time to playing piano. He, like Lup, is openly dedicated to the work that they do on campus. But she knows him. Barry has an unhealthy habit of working himself to exhaustion. To see him take a moment and enjoy playing a melody or two is a real treat.

“You’re practicing some more?” She murmurs, his song drawing to a close.

“Well, you asked me to, and I _ am _ rusty,” he admits.

Lup kisses the top of his head and he smiles. _ Oh, how she loves this boy _. 

As he picks up a different tune, she closes her eyes and recalls years of watching him from across rooms, daydreaming of being able to do the very thing she is doing right now. It had taken many, many long study sessions and constant encouragement from their family. Adoration hidden behind polite gestures. Tenuous touches of hands accidentally (intentionally) bumping into each other. Stumbling footsteps as Lup once whirled Barry from his desk to dance to a samba playing on a nearby radio. He wasn’t much a of lead, but he had a sense of rhythm. And from the moment they fell into each other’s arms, they never let go.

“This week is really fuckin’ busy babe,” She says, letting her exhausting take over her fully.

“We’ll make it work,” Barry replies, shifting to a different tune, just for her. It's a song he’s played any times before, but each time it never gets old. The melody of Salut d'Amour.

She smiles, and starts humming the harmony.

* * *

At exactly 1:45pm Wednesday, Taako is hurrying out of the transit station nearest the Neverwinter theatre. He has t-minus forty-five minutes to get a good look at the theatre’s kitchen facility, before high-tailing it back to the station, if he wants to make it back to class on time. If he skipped class, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But he’s trying to save all his skips for the end of the semester. He’ll never admit it, but his record is near perfect, and if he keeps it up for another week, he’ll finish early without having to take any finals.

Angus is already out from when Taako gets there. The Neverwinter Theatre itself is quite grand, painted with sharp gold and red. Built for large budget stage performances, it’s one of the most popular entertainment hubs in the city—for those who can afford a ticket. 

“We gotta make this quick, kiddo,” Taako says, opening the door for him. “Stay on the low. Taako can’t get catch for espionage, breaking and entering, tampering, etc.”

“And child endangerment?” Angus offers.

“Eh,” Taako says, shrugging. As they enter, they are fortunate enough that the open hallway is clear. 

Taako takes a step, and he hears a mysterious beep from somewhere.

“What was that?” He asks. Angus looks back at him.

“Something beeped at me,” Taako replies. “Like, when you’re shoplifting?”

“Must be the theatre’s new security system sir,” Angus replies. “Also, that’s illegal.”

“It's not like the security guards are my fucking dad,” Taako says. He takes a step back towards the door, then moves forward. Something beeps again, not loud, but strange. But he still can’t pinpoint why or from where.

“Let me see your backpack, sir,” Angus suggests. Taako slipped his bag off, opening it curiously. Angus leans over and peeks in. There’s nothing in there that could possibly set off a security alarm. Why would—

From a nearby corridor, the sound of voices approach.

“Go do your thing, Ango,” Taako says, scrambling to zip his bag. He slings it back over his shoulder. “Text me if there’s trouble.” Angus nods and darts into a corridor opposite from were the voices are coming from. He’s gone in a flash. For being so little, Angus is way sneakier than given credit for. Kid could secretly be a rogue and no one would be surprised.

Not a minute after he’s gone, Edward walks in. His face lights up upon seeing Taako standing by the door. Following close after him is Lydia and Magic Brian. Magic Brian looks equally swell to see him. Lydia looks like she bit into a sour lemon.

“Taako, so glad you could come by!” Edward says. 

Magic Brian nods in agreement. “We were just finalizing ze plans for Saturday!”

“So it’s just you here?” Lydia asks. The look she’s giving Taako is dubious at best. From what he knows, her actions are warranted. He plasters on a grin.

“The one and only,” Taako replies. “Hate to say it, but I’m in a bit of a rush. In between classes, and I’ve got to account for unreliable transit.”

“Perfectly understandable,” Edward says. He gestures towards a set of double doors. “Lydia and I have some finale decisions to make before Saturday. I’m afraid Brian will have to take over as guide in my stead.”

“Cool beans,” Taako says, glancing over at Magic Brian. There’s a tarantula resting on Brian’s shoulder. Taako makes a note to give him a five foot berth at least. “Lead the fuckin’ way.”

The vogue twins exit through the double doors, while Brian leads Taako back up the corridor. They bypass the auditorium, opting to enter a side door, which leads them to a staircase, heading upwards. It’s a step staircase. The hallway is dimly lit, but not off putting. There is more light once they get to the upper floor, a door on the right says_ Staff Kitchen. _ Magic Brian leads Taako in.

“Everything is perfectly stocked,” he says, all smiles. “I’m sure you’ll find it much to your liking!”

The kitchen is wonderfully state-of-the-art. There’s an appliance for everything. Clearly labeled storage. A window that peeks out to the large open, rooftop space. Definitely a leg up from any industrial kitchens Taako’s previously been in. Taako acts casual, running a finger along the metal surfaces, searching for dust. There is none. It’s clean as a whistle. It’s hard to quell the excitement of the possibility of working here. 

Taako glances at Magic Brian with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay,” he says. “I’m in.”

* * *

Not ten minutes later, Taako is back outside the theatre, running a tired hand over his forehead. He has minutes to spare, which is excellent, so he shoots a text to Angus, to make sure the kid didn’t get lost or anything.

**FromTV69: you good Ango? i just left the theatre**

**McDangus: I’m fine Sir. I left just before you did. I set up a few recording devices around the staff areas, but I don’t think I’ll be able to retrieve them until tomorrow. I’m too young to attend the BoB.**

**FromTV69: could you just tell me where they are, and i’ll find them?**

**McDangus: They’re too well hidden, sir. I can handle it.**

**FromTV69: if you say so. i owe you ice cream for this.**

**McDangus: Ice cream with brownie bits, sir. **

**FromTV69: you’re pushing your luck, kid. later**

* * *

It’s later in the afternoon, and orchestra goes eerily smooth. Everyone arrives on time, everyone remembers their sheet music. The clarinets don’t bicker with the piccolos. Lup only has to stand up and snap her fingers once, to calm down the tuba players after an enthusiasts but well executed performance of Dies Irae. The small burst of multicolored, crackling lights grabs everyone’s attention, enough to quiet them all down.

Leon looks flabbergasted. He hasn’t rubbed his temples once, having no migraines to nurse today.

Towards the end of their last composition, he sets the large book in his hands gingerly onto his desk. He shoots the class the most serious of serious looks, and says, “Remember, dress rehearsal is Friday at 6:00, be there at 5:30. Outside—events notwithstanding.”

“Outside events notwithstanding,” the class parrots back to him. They look at him expectantly, quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Even Taako is attentive, and Taako is _ never _ attentive.

Leon pushes his glasses further up his face and heaves a sigh. He’s never going to have a class this well behaved ever again, probably. “Yes, well, if any of you have further questions or concerns, you can contact me between today and Friday. If not, see you all then.”

Everyone bolts from the classroom like their lives depend on it. Music stands are knocked over. Papers fly into the air. Students rush to shove their instruments into their lockers without pretense. Lup is already out the door, running with Taako, Magnus, and everyone else to the Neverwinter theatre. The Battle of the Bands is in an hour, and no one wants to miss out.

Leon witnesses the destruction of the music room with resignation. There’s no one left to clean up the mess but him. He doesn’t get enough vacation days for this.

* * *

Davenport whips the starblaster expertly out of the Music School’s parking lot. Merle is already with him in the passenger seat. Taako, Magnus, and Lup are crunched in the back, having leapt in as soon as they got out of class. There are also duffel bags full of clothes to change into, and instrument cases that have been checked and rechecked. Magnus’s bell contraption is squeezed in as well, wrapped thoroughly in bubble wrap.

“Hold onto your butts,” Davenport calls back them. “Traffic is gonna be ugly, but I think we’ll make it.”

Everyone knows exactly how Davenport drives when there’s somewhere they need to get in a hurry. They grab their butts for dear life.

“Oh, Pan,” Merle prays. “Don’t let me die on the freeway. That would surely suck.”

* * *

As Davenport finds a parking spot. Taako, Merle, and Magnus lug their gear towards the backdoor of the theatre. Brad is waiting there already, to guide the other performers around.

“If anyone isn’t performing tonight,” he says. “You need to head around to the front of the stage to get a wristband.”

“A wristband?” Lup asks. “For what?”

“ID check,” Brad replies. “And some new method of security. I can’t explain all the details myself. I’d say ask Lucas, but he’s busy up top making sure that all the technical work is going smoothly.”

They call all hear the crowd from down the street. As they drop past the theatre initially, they could see that a long line was already forming outside the front doors. Lup turns back towards the others. “I’ll be cheering for you guys. Break a leg!” She takes off.

“Thanks,” The three of them call back. They hurry through the door. The show is about to start.

* * *

“Thank you all for coming the Neverwinter First Annual Battle of the Bands!” Lucretia exclaims to the crowd. She’s dressed in a sharp blue dress, wearing a headset, and holding a clipboard. It’s 8pm and the theatre is filling up quickly. People from around the city and beyond are gathering to check out the first round of the event.

“Our first act of the night, Team sweet Flips, had to make an impromptu band member switch after their keytar player, Boyland, came down with the flu. Taking his place for tonight’s performance is none other than dear friend, Noelle Redcheek. So give it up for her, and the other two bandmates taking the stage: Carey and Killian!”

Killian, Carey, and a red-haired halfling girl, who is obviously Noelle, come running onto the stage. They’re dressed in black body suits, with some sort of wiring wrapped around them. All three are wearing brightly colored shades. Killian grabs the microphone.

“Are you all ready to jam?” She shouts.

“Yeah!!!” The audience roars back.

Killian passes the mic over to Noelle. All three jump to position and begin to play a cover of _Get Lucky_, using a collection of bassoon, xylophone, and keytar to generate a_ wholly_ unique sound. Killian carries the base, with Carey holding the melody, and Noelle handling the lyrics. But what really grabs the audience’s attention is how their body suits light up, following the LEDs sewn expertly into the fabric. Killian does a mean series of runs on her bassoon, which makes the audience scream even louder than before. They end it on a high note, going out on a bombastic display of neon and sparks.

“Let’s give it up for that stellar first performance of the Battle!” Lucretia says, taking the mic and moving the show along. As Team Sweet Flips pack up their stuff, she reads off a list of event sponsors: “Thank you to the Neverwinter Theatre for letting us use this lovely venue, the Miller Foundation for providing technical support and security, and to the Eversummer Music Department for providing sound equipment—Now! Following up Team sweet flips is the Woven Gulch gang you all know and love! Introducing: Last Refuge, made up of June, Cassidy, Roswell, and Ren!”

The next group immediately takes the stage. They’re all dressed in white, wide brimmed hats and sparkly fringe shirts, which catch the light and nearly blind the audience. They then give an excellent banjo, guitar, spoon and finger cover of, Jolene. Cassidy goes ham on the spoons, with enough enthusiasm to stir the audience into clapping to the beat. Tres horny boys hang along the crowd. They're the lad to perform, so they can afford to watch the first couple of performances before properly changing out.

“I’m calling it,” Merle says, over the music “They’re gonna make it to the second round.”

“Five bucks says Sweet Flips,” Magnus says.

“We’re up soon!” Taako says, yanking at both their arms before they can solidify the bet. “Lets go before intermission!”

He was glad to have been here before, finding the way to backstage to be easy.

The Hammerheads are already chilling in one of the open dressing rooms. Maarvey, Barbara, Little Jerry and Jerreeeeee are all dressed in worn out jeans, grey shirts, and leather jackets. The back of the jackets sport brightly colored, sharp toothed hammerhead sharks. They look up as Tres Horny Boys enter, and narrow their eyes with a bit of contempt.

“You guys excited to perform?” Magnus asks, his rustic hospitality cranked up to eleven. Maarvey puts on a sly smile.

“Oh yeah, buddy,” He says in a clearly mocking tone. “We’ve been practicing for months now.” 

“Oh, same hat!” Magnus exclaims. “Break a leg out there.”

“I’ll break you’s a leg,” Little Jerry mutters, running a comb through his carefully slicked back hair.

Taako slings his duffel bag onto the vanity counter, with enough oomph to knock some of Jerreeeeee’s stuff onto the floor. Jerreeeeee glares, and stands up, fists clenched. 

He opens his mouth to fire back. “Why I outta—"

“Intermission over!” Lucretia calls. She’s standing by the doorway, looking at the Hammerheads matter-of-factly. She points a thumb back towards the stairs. “You guys get a move on. And please, leave the battling on the stage.”

The Hammerheads flip off Taako, Merle, and Magnus, before stalking out the doorway. Lucretia doesn’t even bat her eye as the gang members shoot them dirty looks. She checks her clipboard eagerly, already turning to follow the Hammerheads to the stage. “You guys need to be ready to go in ten!”

“We got it, Madame Director,” Merle calls back, already sitting and powdering his face. He’s wearing a black collared shirt and pinstripe pants. He slips a pair of armbands on his wrists. “I still think we should’ve went with the bagpipes.”

“The bagpipes weren’t the problem,” Magnus says, stripping of his t-shirt and slipping on a white tank top. His outfit consists of a heavily studded black vest over the top, allowing his burly arm to be sleeveless. He wears black crew cut jeans to go with it. “It was your playing.”

“You say that now, but I really think I had _ ‘Oh Glory’ _ down pat,” Merle replies.

Taako wears a white collared shirt with a black, double breasted jacket, which absolutely drowning in patches, pins and whatever else he could find. As he pulls his hair up into a ponytail, there’s a knock on the doorframe. Taako glances up at the mirror, to see Kravitz standing a few feet behind him. He turns away from the vanity and hurries over to him.

“What are you doing down here, babe?” Taako says. He follows Kravitz into the hallway, out of the light of the dressing rooms. Taako steals a kiss from him, before saying, “You should be getting a good spot to see us go on. I know Lup is probably out there, scoping out the competition.

“I wanted to wish you luck,” Kravitz replies,. Right then, the sound of what has to be the Hammerheads performing makes it way down to backstage. It’s a strange rendition of _ Take on Me _, sounding vaguely more rock than synth pop. Taako and Kravitz exchange mildly confused looks. Kravitz says, “I’m pretty assured we’ll be fine.”

Taako tilts his head playfully. “You’re not gonna tell me what song you guys are going to be performing tomorrow?”

“Nope,” Kravitz says. “Secret.” 

Taako huffs. “I officially hate secrets. I’m tired of not knowing shit.” He pokes Kravitz in the chest. “After this ordeal, you're never allowed to hide anything from me again.”

“Not even if it’s a good secret?” Kravitz says, a smile forming on his lips. “A fun secret?” 

Taako narrows his eyes at him. “What are you going on about?”

Kravtiz reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small package. He offers it to Taako, who tears into it eagerly. Taako pulls out the sparkling scarf, shining beautifully under the backlights of the stage. His eyes widen immediately.

“You—you got me the scarf?” Taako says, voice softening from disbelief. “But I said I wasn’t going to get it.”

Kravitz nods. “You did say that. I recall. I was there.”

Taako stares at the scarf for a minute, rendered just a bit speechless. Kravitz takes the opportunity to lift it from Taako’s hands and wrap it loosely about his shoulders. The shock of color pops nicely against his dark outfit. 

“There,” Kravitz says, admiring his boyfriend. “You’re now show ready.”

Taako shakes his head and leans forward to wrap his arms around Kravitz waist. He presses his face into Krav’s chest and says something, short and muffled.

“Speak up, love?” Kravitz asks, in that asshole way of his.

“I said you’re the biggest fucking sap this side of the material plane,” Taako replies, pulling back and sounding far too fond to come off as annoyed. He gives Krav a small kiss, before pushing him out the door. “Now get outta here and find a spot near the front stage. We’ll be on soon!”

* * *

Time seems to move much faster backstage than out front. The trio barely have a chance to get some decent eyeshadow on before Lucretia peeks her head in and starts rushing them up the stairs. Magnus and Merle have to careful maneuver the bell machine upstairs, with Taako “dictating.” As they push it onto the stage and get into position, the crowd immediately starts to cheer. Lucretia does her usual introductory spiel, then hands the mic over to Taako.

Taako addresses the audience. “Hey, can you folks hear me pretty good?”

“Yeah!” The Audience shouts back. 

“Cool, cool. Well, we’re Taako and the Taakettes—”

“Boo!” Magnus shouts.

“—We’re Tres Horny Boys. And you're about to hear the performance of a lifetime!” Taako glances back at his bandmates. Magnus and Merle give Taako a thumbs up. Taako nods and gives a thumbs up of his own. “Alright, hit it!”

Magnus takes his hand off the bell hand of the bell contraption, and it immediately begins to ring the starting tune of “Black Parade.” The three of them start of quietly, allowing the audience to simmer down, and savor the moment.

_ “When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city, To see a marching band…” _

Lup stands in the middle of the crowd. She has to admit it—they sound good. They sound really good. The bells ring slowly, with Merle filling the silence with the squeezebox. As soon as Magnus hits the drums, the energy of the room cranks up, and the crowd goes wild.

Taako’s there, belting like it’s natural, and giving the guitar his all. Magnus is having the time of his life, keeping to the rhythm. And _ Merle _, well. Merle is not trying to do interpretive jazz while playing the accordion—and that is a godsend for all of them. They look like they’re having the time of their lives. They look like they’re having fun. Lup can’t help but find herself getting into the music, singing along to the familiar words, rocking to its rhythm. Barry is beside her, enjoying the familiar song. Davenport is there, not into the genre, but clapping supportively. Kravitz emerges from the side of the crowd, starry eyed and excited.

“They sound great,” he says.

“Fuck yeah they do,” Lup agrees. She grabs Barry’s hand and looks back at Kravitz. “You guys ready for tomorrow?”

“Absolutely,” Barry says.

“Of course,” Kravitz replies.

Lup grins. “Alright boys! Let’s knock ‘em dead!”

* * *

At the end of the night, all four bands are grouped quietly on stage. Tres horny boys do their best to not look nervous, but the tension is strong in the air.

Lucretia reads off her clipboard, “Well, the votes are in folks, and the audience has made their decisions quite clear. The bands performing tomorrow to face off again tomorrow are...Team Sweet Flips—”

Carey, Killian, and Noelle practically throw themselves on top of each other. They’re so excited! Taako, Merle, and Magnus shoot each other looks. They did good, really good. But everyone else did good too. They should brace themselves for not moving on.

“—and...Tres horny boys!”

Nevermind, fuck that! They won!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! We're getting close towards the end now, and in the thick of it for sure! I'm so glad I got this done before thanksgiving!


	15. You broke the heart that broke mine

As soon as the first round of the BoB ends, Triple Date Night™ begins.

“Okay, I’m starving,” Magnus announces as he, Taako, and Merle strip out of their performance attire and into their regular, late autumn appropriate attire. In the backstage dressing room, the other BoB competitors are all packing up their stuff. Carey and Killian are off joking with June and Roswell. Noelle is assisting Lucas with collecting microphones and keeping wires tucked away. The Hammerheads keep Lucretia and Brad busy with complaints over their failure to make it to the second round. Maarvey glares daggers at Tres horny boys—the trio stick their tongues out at him in response.

“Magnus!” Julia yells, barging into the room. Everyone makes way for her, quieting down at the sight of the giant of a woman.

“Jules!” Magnus exclaims, extending his arms towards her. They pull each other into a powerful embrace. Merle and Taako wince, knowing that if either of them were caught in a hug that tight, they would perish. Magnus pulls back for a second. “Were you able to catch our performance?”

Julia chuckles before giving him another squeeze. “Just barely, my manager was pissed off as all hell. I’m glad you guys performed last though, absolutely worth it!”

“Thanks, honey,” Magnus replies. “I love ya.”

“Love you too, Big Guy.” She says, despite having a couple of inches on him. She turns to look at Taako. “You ready for triple date night? I was talking to Lup a second ago, she said she and the boys would be waiting outside the theatre for you guys.”

“Please,” Taako says. “I can’t stay back here anymore. This room smells like old, sweaty costumes and talcum powder.”

“Care if I tag along?” Merle asks. “I have a carnation that could use some—”

“No!” is the chorused response. Magnus rolls his eyes while Taako pinches the bridge of his nose. Merle chuckles.

“Just kidding. I’ll pass. I’m hanging out with the kiddos tonight anyway.”

“Istus, I forget you have children,” Taako replies.

“Half the time, I forget too,” Merle admits. He slings a large duffel bag over his shoulder. “You kids have fun, see you back at the home house.” Taako, Magnus and Julia wave Merle goodbye, and then make their way out of the dressing room themselves. They catch Lucretia at the top of a staircase, writing some notes furiously on her clipboard.

“Hey Creesh,” Magnus calls. “We’re about to head out, you need any help with anything?”

Lucretia shakes her head. “I’ve got plenty of volunteers for tonight. Davenport will give me a ride home. But if you guys could come a bit early tomorrow, that’d be great. Don’t forget, you’ll be performing first!”

The three give her a thumbs up, and go to find the nearest exit.

Taako passes by familiar corridors, realizing that this is opposite the way Magic Brian had led him when he and Angus had been snooping earlier. He made a mental note to call the kid first thing tomorrow. Maybe sneak over early again to help him find the recording devices he planted...somewhere around here.

“Earth to Taako,” Lup says, clapping a hand on her brothers shoulder. Taako blinks and notices that they’re all standing outside. Barry and Kravitz are leaned against a nearby bike rack. 

Kravitz straightens and immediately walks over to give Taako a hug. “You were amazing, babe!” he exclaims.

“Natch,” Taako replies, but he takes the praise with a smile and a kiss on the cheek. Lup make a small gagging noise at the sight, before looping her arm around Barry’s shoulders.

“It’s a bit late,” Julia says, noting the incredibly dark sky and chilly air. “Are there any milkshake places still open?”

“Fantasy Costco serves milkshakes in their food court,” Lup replies. “I think it’s open.”

“Does Fantasy Costco even close?” Magnus asks.

No one is brave enough to answer that question. Barry checks on his phone and, yes, they are open late at night.

“Sweet!” Magnus says. “And they’ve got pizza, so dinner’s pretty much a given.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Barry says. Julia and Taako nod in agreement.

Lup looks over at Kravitz. “You down for a pizza dinner, Ghost Rider?”

“I’m fine with it if you all are,” he replies.

Lup throws her hands into the air and proclaims, “The pact is sealed!”

“Wait, what—”

“And with this, triple date night commences!” She pats him on the shoulder with her free arm, laughing at his mildly concerned face. Magnus and Julia starts leading the group toward the parking lot, the cool autumn wind urging them to get a move on.

* * *

Taako rides with Kravitz in his car, with Barry and Lup taking a seat in the back. Magnus rides with Julia in her pickup truck. After a short trip from downtown Neverwinter, they all pull into the parking lot of the Fantasy Costco nearest their home. It really doesn’t matter which Fantasy Costco they go to; every store is virtually the same, and they are all managed by Garfield the Deals Warlock. How is Garfield always at Fantasy Costco, no matter which one you go to? 

Don’t ask.

They get out of their respective vehicles, leaving their mountainous packs of gear inside. The nearly empty parking lot and flickering street lamps welcomes them, the sort of eerie feeling signature to the Fantasy Costco flavor. They pour through the automatic doors of the mega store and are greeted at the food court counter by—who else?—Garfield the Deals Warlock. 

“Ohhhh, couples night!” He exclaims, upon setting eyes on the group. “Haven’t done one of those myself in a millennia or two.”

“Six milkshakes and two large pizzas,” Magnus says. “One cheese and one pepperoni.”

“You want us to chip in for that Mags?” Barry asks.

Magnus waves a friendly hand, “Nah I got it, I wanted Triple date night to happen the most so—”

“Taako is perfectly fine with that arrangement,” Taako announces, having already taken a seat at one of the large open tables. Kravitz and Barry opt to grab the food while the rest of them join Taako at the table.

“You guys are still wearing the armbands?” Magnus says, pointing to the neon-colored, paper bands on Lup and Julia’s wrists.

“Oh yeah,” Lup says, turning her arm. “They’re a lot trickier to take off than they look. They don’t stick like a normal one, they just kinda—seal. Once you slap ‘em on.”

“Yeah. Check it,” Julia says. She gives the band on her wrist a powerful tug. Any other similar material would’ve come off easily, but the strain against her skin is evident as she tries—and fails—to break the seal.

“They can’t be magic,” Taako says. He waves his hand over the one on Lup’s arm. The band does not detach. He gets up and walks over to the table that holds the utensils and condiments. He grabs two plastic knives and transmutes them into a small pair of scissors. As Barry and Kravitz bring over the pizza and milkshakes, Taako walks back and tries the scissors on Lup’s band. 

It cuts cleanly, like nothing.

“Huh,” Lup says, lowering her brow. Taako passes the scissors around for the rest of them to cut theirs off. Magnus picks up the one that was on Julia’s wrist.

“Weird,” He says. “It’s still paper, technically. Just...sturdy as fuck.”

“Some materials get stronger with stress,” Taako says. “A shape blade will break up whatever the alignment that is holding this thing together.”

“Nerd,” Lup says, before biting into her pizza. Taako flicks the paper from his straw at her, and she sticks her tongue at him in response.

“If anyone’s a nerd—” He argues. “It’s Lucas. He designed the damn things.”

“How do you know that?” Barry asks.

Taako takes a sip of his milkshake. It’s key lime flavored. “Lucretia treated me to lunch the other day. Had to listen to him talking about nerd shit while I ate my food.”

“It didn’t kill you to hang with Nerd Lord for ten minutes,” Lup says. “I’m with a nerd all the time.”

“Yeah,” Taako scoffs. He waves a dismissive hand over at Barry. “But compared to that asshole, Barold’s cool as shit.”

“Hell yeah, Barold’s cool as shit,” she agrees, shooting her boyfriend a wink. He blushes and wraps a hand around her waist. Taako pulls a face, but goes back to the point.

“Lucas isn’t even a fun nerd! He’s the kind of nerd that would start the robotic apocalypse and be down with it. Barold does goofy science experiments on our kitchen table. If you looked up nerd in the dictionary, you’re see his fucking face.” Taako looks at Barry. “No offense, Barold.”

“None taken.”

“Angus is a nerd,” Magnus points out. “And you spend all day with him.”

“Angus is an outlier, and should not be counted,” Taako says. He points at the cut bands. “What I’m getting at is: if Luca designed these bad boys, they’re probably prototypes for some worse project he’s got in mind.”

* * *

As the conversation drifts to more benign discussion topics, Lup feels her phone buzz in her back pocket. She checks it and tampers down a sigh.

**ThisBinchHere: Hey you never got back **

**TooHotHotDamn: My bad. Been busy as fuck 🔥**

**ThisBinchHere: It’s cool. I was just wondering if you were free tomorrow**

Lup grimaces. Between work and class, and BoB, she can’t see a reasonable moment to make time for such a thing. Not to mention she promised Taako she would leave sleeping enemies lie.

Before she can come up with a reasonable excuse, Lydia sends another text:

**ThisBinchHere: I wanted to talk to you about something**

_ Shit _, Lup thinks. She really doesn’t have much time on her hands to sort out what is going on here. Maybe, if she could skip out on something—

“Hey, Taako,” she says, tucking her phone away.

“Uh huh,” Taako replies, stealing the cherry off of Krav’s milkshake and taking a bite. His boyfriend looks at him with mock betrayal. Taako grins before poking him on the cheek. Lup waves a hand in front of his face to grab his attention.

“Stop being adorable for two seconds," She says. "Wanna do a twin swap and take my work shift tomorrow morning?”

Taako shakes his head. “Sorry, cha’boy don’t do manual labor.”

“It’s a desk job, babe.”

“_Taako_, doesn’t _ do _ manual labor.”

Lup leans back in her seat. “Well, fuck me I guess.”

“Ain’t that Barry’s Job?” Julia says, then laughs when everyone as the table vocalizes various levels of dissent.

“What are you trying to sneak out to do?” Taako asks, rubbing his temples like he’s trying to scrub the thought from his mind.

_ Shit, _ Lup has to think up a good excuse. “Last minute band practice?”

“And let you get a competitive edge? Hell no.”

Magnus scoffs. “What? Scared we’re going to beat your asses?”

Lup smirks. She'll have to think of something else. “Terrified.”

* * *

Taako knows his sister. He knows something’s up, he just can’t tell how. For the rest of the date, she glances at her phone, looking uneasy for some reason. Lup is the most confident person he knows. She’s his sister, his heart. So whatever is bothering her, is gonna bother him one way or another.

As soon as triple date night comes to an end (much shorter than most of them would like, but it _ is _ the middle of the week, and it’s been a long day), Taako waits until he and Lup are dropped off at home before making any moves.

Lup and Barry go into the house first. He starts to dart in after them, but then a fairly cold hand grabs his, and stops his progress. He turns and there’s Kravitz, raising an eyebrow with a look of expectation.

“What?” Taako says, a teasing smile forming. “Is this the part where we admit our love despite being rival band members?”

“If that’s the kind of romcom you’re going for,” Kravitz says, grabbing his other hand for good measure.

Taako leans forward and gives him two succinct kisses. He explains, “One is for goodnight, and one is for good luck for tomorrow.”

“Hmm,” Kravitz says, smiling terribly. “Who’s the sap now?”

“Shut up!” Taako hisses. He grabs Kravitz’s face and kisses him again. Their warm breaths generate puffy clouds in the frigid air. Taako pulls back and glares at him. “You’re gonna ruin my rep!”

“Goodnight, love,” Kravitz says, his gaze is so warm.

“Night, babe.” Taako replies quietly. He then turns and hurries into the house. He doesn’t stop his pace, thinking that if anyone asks, he’ll attribute the heavy blush on his face to the cold. 

Luckily for him, Barry and Lup are curled up on the couch, practically asleep. Magnus and Julia are halfway down the stairs to the basement, with a laptop and a bowl of popcorn.

Taako is about to go upstairs, when he stops. He spot’s Lup’s phone on the table beside the couch.

He creeps over, waiting for just a moment, to see if she’s really asleep. Elves don’t _ need _ sleep, but fuck anyone who tries to make that argument to Taako and Lup. Sleeping is nice. 

Taako grabs the phone and blinks upstairs.

He hurries to his bedroom and loses the door behind him, sliding down to the floor to give the device an inspection. The lock screen is a picture of Lup and Barry. They’re standing in the middle of a park, there are fireworks going off in the background. It’s a very cute pic. A tiny voice in Taako’s head says that he should use a selfie of him and Krav for his phone. Taako files that thought for later though. 

He unlocks Lup’s phone easily—can't hide a passcode from him that easily, miss 0420. The home screen is a close up of Barry’s jean clad ass. Taako rolls his eyes but goes onward.

A log of messages between Lup and someone named **ThisBinchHere** are at the top. He can take a wild guess at who that is. He groans as he notices the timestamp. _ Fucking hell Lup, you had one job. _

“No, no, no, no,” he mutters, turning the phone in his hand. He thinks about tomorrow. Thursday is usually one of Lup’s busier days, especially this week. There’s no way she’d be able to set aside time to meet up. Unless she skipped something—

And then it hits him. He sends Lydia a text:

**TooHotHotDamn: you know what? i’m down. wanna meet up at the theatre? got too much shit going on around campus 🔥**

**ThisBinchHere: Oh? that sounds quite alright. I’m free before noon**

**TooHotHotDamn: sweet, i’ll meet you at there around 10 🔥**

**ThisBinchHere: See you then, dear!**

His plan is set in motion. As soon as the conversation ends, he deletes the chat log, and sets Lup’s phone to Do Not Disturb. After a short stint to go return the phone back to its proper place—and a near disruption by Lucretia and Davenport coming home. (“What are you doing?” “Nothing.” “That’s a lie, but I don’t want to get involved.” “Wise choice.”)—He sneaks back to his own bedroom and shoots Angus at text message

**FromTV69: mango, meet me at the neverwinter theatre tomorrow. 9am. spy shit**

He’ll doubt Angus will see it right now, the kid’s a stickler for going to bed on time during the school week. But he trusts Agnus, so hopefully the kid’ll follow through.

Luckily, Lup won’t notice what he’s done until he’s already left the theatre. And double lucky if he can sneak out of this whole situation without her finding out. But it’s fine, he’s Taako. He’s got all the luck in the world and then some. 

* * *

Thursday morning, Taako is up at the crack of dawn. 

He slips into the large closet and picks proper undergarments—as well as an outfit that is distinctly Lup’s: a red turtleneck sweater with exposed shoulders, and a black leather pencil skirt. He slips this on, as well as a pair of fishnets and some black boots. He slips on a black fuzzy jacket over it.

He pulls his hair up into a ponytail and lays on some eyeshadow and lipstick, a bit heavier in color than he’s used to. But, hey, this is Lup here. They’ve been doing twin switches for years, he’s a professional. With an added dose of glamour, he’s the goddamn spitting image of Lup. 

And with that thought in mind, he hurries out the door without a word.

* * *

Taako spots Angus approaching the theatre at 9am exactly, with a less than pleasant look on his face. That expression changes to confusion when he sees Taako waiting at the front stairs.

“S-sir?” he asks, rubbing his eyes to make sure they aren’t fooling him. 

Taako shoots him a wink. “Right on the money, kid.”

Angus lets out a breath of relief. “Oh, that’s good sir. For a moment I thought I was going to be extremely rude.” He gives Taako a glance over. “Why, may I ask, are you dressed like Ms. Lup?”

“Espionage, McDangus,” Taako says, like that explains anything. “Lup has to talk with one of the vogue twins, and you need to get those recording devices so helpfully strewn around the theatre, and we both need a reason to bail if the going gets tough. I hope you haven’t burnt any spell slots between waking up and getting here, because—and listen to me—I need you to disguise yourself as me.”

Angus’s eyes narrow. “This is a bad idea, sir.”

“I don’t pay you to give me opinions,” Taako says.

“Truth is it’s own currency, sir,” Angus says back. “And I don’t see how this couldn’t backfire spectacularly.”

“What an optimist,” Taako mutters. “Listen, you’re pretty dang good at mimicking me, and I’ve spent a lifetime mimicking my sister. All that matters is that we have to do this efficiently as fuck. This’ll work!”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Try that question again.”

Angus sighs. “And if it succeeds?”

“Then we’ve got nothing to worry about!”

Agnus points at himself. “You do know I’m a kid, right? A little boy? If something goes wrong, you could be tried for endangering a minor.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Taako replies, he starts pushing the kids toward the front doors. “Don’t Panic! Just hurry up so we can do magic bullshit, and I can save my sister from being in the romance trope of hell.”

As Taako walks Agnus through the theatre doors, he once again hears a beeping sound come from his backpack.

“Not this shit again,” Taako says. He slips it off and inspects his bag. Right onto of all his other stuff is the pair of brightly colored invitations. He picks them up, and on a whim, waves them in front of the doorway.

“The fuck?” Taako asks. He pulls out the contents of the envelopes. Angus watches him with interest as he does. He waves the invites, the coupons, and the armbands in front of the door separately. The armbands make the beeping noise.

“Oh!” Angus says. “Those are the ones ordered from Miller industries. They’re part of the theatre’s new security system.” Taako looks at the band dubiously. 

“So these are for every event?” Taako asks. He hazards to try one on for himself. Just like for a regular arm band, he places the adhesive side just a loose enough distance around his wrist to slip it off. But—not like a regular armband—once it attaches, it self tightened enough to fit snugly on his wrist.

“What the fuck?” Taako asks. And just like the ones from the BoB, this band doesn’t seem to want to budge. “Taako’s all about being secure, but what need would anyone have for this shit?”

“I don’t—sir, look!” Angus points through the large glass windows of the front of the theatre.

Taako spots Lydia approaching from across the street. She’s in a bright yellow sundress with a polka dotted puffy coat. He quickly tosses his stuff back into his backpack, quietly bemoaning the state of his wrist right now, but that can wait. 

Lydia’s face brightens when she catches sight of Taako, disguised as Lup, through the windows. She walks through the doors with a grin. “Lup! You made it!”

“Uh, yeah,” Taako said, barely remembering to pitch his voice like his sister’s. “Of course, you said you wanted to talk?”

“Of course, but let’s find somewhere to relax,” Lydia says. “This week has been a nightmare.” Her eyes then spot Angus (as Taako) midstep from one theatre hallway to the next. Lydia makes a face of mild annoyance, which she quickly tries to hide behind a gentle smile.

“Lup dear,” she says. “I have to ask, what is _ he _ doing here?”

“Oh, don’t mind him,” Taako replies. “He said he left something backstage after last night’s performance. He’ll be on his way back to class in a sec or two.” Taako looks at Agnus. “Isn’t that right, Ko?”

“You know how Taako do,” Angus replies, with just the right amount of cadence to give Actual Taako™ a bit of cognitive dissonance. Angus turns away from them and hurries down the nearest corridor. “Don’t mind me!”

Before Lydia can properly object, Taako puts a hand to her arm and smiles. “Why don’t we hang out on the roof for a bit,” he suggests. “I haven’t been up there before, and I’m sure the view is fantastic!”

“Oh, of course,” Lydia says, brightening slightly. “I’ll lead the way.” 

She grabs his hands and guides him towards the stairs. Taako turns his eyes heavenward. If it wasn't for the fact that he was trying to keep this whole ordeal away from Lup’s suspicions, she would owe him.

* * *

Lup is nearly late for work. For some reason, her phone is set on Do Not Disturb, which she _ did not do herself _, unless she was sleep deprived or something. Regardless, Barry’s phone goes off—thank the Queen—giving her just enough time to jump out of bed, grab a change of clothes, and run out the door with a piece of toast in her mouth like some sort of goddamn anime protagonist.

She doesn’t even think about checking her phone again until she’s on the subway. By then, she’s definitely out of breath, and more than a little covered in breadcrumbs. As she prestidigitates them away, she notices a very recent message:

**ThisBinchHere: I’ll be there in a sec.**

_ What? _Lup thinks, mild panic setting in. She tries to check the messages before it, but they’ve all disappeared. What in good fuck is going on this morning?

And then a thought hits her, and she’s nearly ready to blow up this motherfucking train.

“Taako,” she mutters. She pulls up a number on her phone and waits for the call to go through. Her free hand grips tight around a nearby handlebar.

“Hello?” Barry’s mildly awake voice says on the other end.

“Babe,” Lup replies. “I’m stuck on my way to work and Taako is about to do something stupid. Can you go save him?”

“Hmm. Where to? And how stupid are we talking?”

“The Neverwinter Theatre. And exceedingly stupid, even for him. I’d go there myself, but I think I’d kill him in a blind rage.”

“This is why we have necromancy, hun,” Barry says with a chuckle. “I’m on my way.”

“Thanks,” Lup says, some of her anger dampening down. “I love you. Have a good day.”

“Love you too,” Barry says.

* * *

“That’s a lovely perfume you’re wearing,” Lydia comments, opening the door to the rooftop for both of them.

“Oh, that’s just Fantasy Bath and Bodyworks doing its thing,” Taako says, with a wave of his hand.

They go out onto the large rooftop. There’s already a large load of pristine, white tables and chairs set up, as well as a band stand, and the nearly finished construction of a bar counter. Beyond the brick-laid wall that wraps around the roof, is a pretty view of downtown Neverwinter. It’s just as dazzling in the morning as it is in the afternoon. The sound of busy traffic travels up to their ears.

“Wow,” Taako says. “You guys are making a lot of progress on your little shindig.”

“This is nothing,” Lydia says. “We’re going to have light displays, dressed up waiters, party favors, et cetera. It’ll be a delight.” 

Taako follows her to the bar counter nearby, and they both take a seat on two of the stools. Taako brushes a lock of hair out of his face and smiles at her. “Now,” he says, putting on his best Lup smile yet. “What was it you wanted to talk about?”

Lydia bites her lip, taking a moment to think before getting out her words. “Lup, hanging out with you has been fun. And I mean that, genuinely.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Taako says, laughing awkwardly. “I mean, the whole sworn enemies thing—one can never really tell when black and white sort of devolve—or evolve, I should say— into grey areas.”

Lydia nods. “And you know what they say about enemies…”

“Never interrupt them when they make a mistake?”

Lydia shakes her head and leans forward. “Keep them closer than your friends.” Her eyes flutter closed.

“_ On that note! _” Taako exclaims, leaning back immediately. Lydia blinks in surprise. Taako exhales. “Yeah, uh, about that...”

“Oh,” Lydia says, leaning back as well. She looks, well, the expression on her face is indefinable. “You...just want to be friends.”

“About _ that, _” Taako says, his voice hitting a higher pitch. He presses his hands together. “Lydia, you know, this all has been great and good and fun. But I really don’t think we’re, like, friendo material. Or, what I should say is...we shouldn’t be friends.”

Lydia’s voice lowers. “We don’t have to be _ friends _.”

“_ We shouldn’t be that either— _”

“Lup—”

Taako shakes his head. “Lydia, Lup’s got—I-_ I’ve _got a boyfriend. A pretty damn good one at that. And the relationship, well, it took a while to get there. But it's there now and it's pretty fuckin' solid. And fairly exclusive, I might add. I don’t think—”

Lydia’s face shifts from a smile to a clear frown. “Darling, don't take this the wrong way but, frankly I think you deserve much better than—”

“Fucking—_ No. _ ” Taako glares at her, and cuts her off. All pretense shifts away to anger. “Fuck you. _ No. _ ” Lup owes him so much for this. “I don't care about how nice of a time we've had. You don’t get to barge into my life after two weeks and make assumptions about someone I’ve cared about for goddamn _ years. _”

“I see,” Lydia says and now she's not quite looking at him. The door to the rooftop opens, and Taako sees Edward emerge. He looks over at the both of them, his expression unreadable. Lydia reaches out a hand and pats his arm. “What a bother.”

Taako starts to say, “You don’t have to be sorry—” But then Lydia grabs tight on his wrist, the one with the band on it.

“Good,” she says, and the light in her eyes flickers out. “Because I’m not sorry for this.”

Taako blinks, and everything goes dark.

* * *

At exactly 11am, Lup bursts into Kravitz’s office, still in her work clothes. Kravitz jolts in his seat, but not by much. He’s gotten used to people bursting into his office by now. 

Before he can ask for an explanation, Lup has already got one going, “Your boyfriend is being HELLA dumb. I need a ride to the theatre. We gotta move fast, so I suggest going the magic way, and not driving. You know, like mortals.”

Kravitz looks at her dubiously, but goes ahead and manifest his scythe in his hand. “What...did he do this time?”

Lup releases an aggravated sigh. “Spy shit.” 

* * *

Taako blinks, and suddenly he’s in a strange, darkened room. He looks around in a confused daze. That’s when he notices Barry leaned over him, a freshly cut armband in his hand.

“Taako?” Barry says. “Are you alright?”

“The fuck?” Taako says. He realizes he’s sitting down in a chair. Around him are pipes that run along the walls, and cables the lead beyond tall black curtains. “Where am I?”

Barry holds a finger up to his lips. “Somewhere backstage.” He holds up the broken band and a jackknife. “You were sitting here in a daze. This thing was glowing. You didn’t move until I cut it off you.”

“Shit,” Taako whispers. “Shit, shit, shit. Where’s Ango?”

“Waiting near the front entrance,” Barry said. “He said he saw you and Edward head down this way, but he was too worried to follow, so he told me as soon as I got here.” Barry helps Taako to his feet and asks, “Why was he disguised as you? Why are you disguised as Lup?”

“_ Barold, get me the fuck out of here. _” Taako hisses. “I bet they fucking possessed me, or whatever the hell you necromancer’s do to a perfectly healthy living person.”

“That’s rather assumptive of you.” Barry says. He motions for Taako to follow him out, and they make their way around a number of storage boxes and costume hangers. “Also, just so you’re aware, Lup knows you came over here.”

Taako smacks his forehead. “Fuck, she’s going to kill me.”

“Yep. Luckily there’s a whole range of things a necromancer can do to you then!”

“Lovely to see you enjoying this moment, Barold, because I sure as hell am not.”

* * *

Kravitz cuts a hole with his scythe, and he and Lup step into the main entrance of the Neverwinter Theatre. 

“You stay here, Bones,” Lup calls, as she takes off towards the auditorium. “In case I need backup, or if my brother tries to make a getaway!” She is barely a second through the large double doors, when Lydia turns and catches a glance at her from a few rows down.

“Lup!” she exclaims. “My goodness, how did you end up here?”

“Here?” Lup asks. She glances around for any sign of her brother.

Lydia starts to approach her. “Yes, my brother was—How did you change your outfit so quickly?”

“Change my—?” Lup looks down at herself, and something snaps into place in her mind. She rubs her temples. “Hey, Lydia?" She asks. "Your brother, he’s pretty good to you, right?”

“Of course,” Lydia says, pausing.

“You wanna trade?” Lup asks. “Cuz mine’s been a TOTAL ASS this week and I’m just about ready to wring his fucking neck.” 

Lydia smiles just a bit. “Well, I mean—_ come on Lup _—boys just be like that sometimes.”

“You’re right,” Lup says, nodding slowly, angrily. “They really do be like that.”

* * *

Taako and Barry barely make it out from behind the stage, before having the misfortune of running into Edward in the hallway.

“Lup?” Edward asks, looking confused. “How did you—” He catches sight of Barold. “Oh, it’s your—”

“Yeah,” Barry interrupts. He puts a defensive arm in front of Taako. “Lup asked me to pick her up. We’ve got a pretty busy day today. Thought I get one more look around before our performance tonight.”

“Oh,” Edward says, barely processing any of that. “You’re performing as well, for the BoB?”

“Yeah, got a nice little gig going,” Taako says, super fast. “Sorry we couldn’t stay longer. Ta ta!” 

He pushes Barry into a run, and they both take off down the hallway.

“Wait a sec—” Edward yells. “Come back here!”

* * *

Before Lup and Lydia can get another word in edgewise, Taako and Barry burst through a nearby exit. Both Lup and Lydia jump back, hands flickering reflexively with magic. Taako and Barry stop in their tracks when they see the two girls before them. Edward charges in right behind, and they nearly crash into each other. A second later, Kravitz comes through the entrance that Lup had previously entered. Following shortly after is Angus, still disguised as Taako.

Everyone freezes. Eyes jump between Angus, Taako, and Lup. Mouths hang open in stunned silence.

Lup reacts first.

“Taako?” she asks, voice strung with confusion.

“Shit,” Taako mutters.

“Lup?” Lydia asks. Her eyes flicker between the two twins, and her face reddens with horror. Edward looks utterly flabbergasted.

“Taako?” Kravitz asks, glancing between Taako and Angus.

"Sir?" Angus says nervously.

“I can explain,” Taako says. 

“TAAKO!” Lup and Lydia both scream, their brains having finally caught up to the situation.

“Fuck!” Taako exclaim. It only just now occurs to him that a teleportation spell would’ve served him well ten seconds ago—_ hell, an hour ago _. 

Too bad, but not too late. Just as Lup makes an angry beeline for him, Taako snaps his figures and disappears. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's late as fuck o' clock and I'm sleeby.


	16. Your Will is Broken

“I’m going after him,” Lup says, once the shock of Taako ghosting on them had worn off. She starts toward the exit doors, only for Barry to grab her arm.

“Lup, wait,” Barry says. He looks pointedly at Edward and asks “Care to explain why I found Taako unresponsive backstage?”

“What?” Lup says, stopping in her tracks. Her body shifts in Edward’s direction. The vogue twins exchange glances, but don’t reply to her question. 

Angus, still disguised as Taako, points to the corridor that Barry and Taako had barged through only moments before. He speaks in his regular voice—the disparity between that and his looks are a jarring. 

“I was coming down the corridor,” he says. “When I saw Mr. Taako approaching with Edward. I ducked into a nearby storage room when they went past. I could hear Edward talking the whole time, but I didn’t hear Taako at all. After a while, Edward came back up, but Taako didn’t.”

Lup charges at Edward. “_ What the fuck did you do to my brother? _” Before Edward can get out of the way, she grabs him by his shirt collar, hands already flickering with magic. The silken fabric of his shirt begins to singe. He cowers under her fiery gaze.

“Hey, don’t touch him!” Lydia yells, moving to intercede. She pulls her brother out of Lup’s grasp and stands between them. Edward stumbles back, as Lydia shoots Lup a glare of her own. “Get your hands off my brother!”

“Don’t fucking tell me not to touch him!” Lup yells. “What the hell did you do to Taako?”

“Your brother is fine,” Lydia says, attempting to even out her tone. “I can assure you, he's not hurt.”

“Then I better have a good fucking explanation for what’s going on here,” Lup replies. “Because if I don’t, I won’t promise the same for yours.”

“Let’s go, Angus,” Kravitz says, motioning to the child. He cuts open a rift, right back to his office.

Angus starts to protest. He gestures back at the corridor. “But sir, I—”

“Go, Angus,” Barry says, the concern etched in his face. “We’ll catch up with you two later.”

“O-okay,” Angus says, reluctantly. The little boy jumps through the portal. As he does, he dispels his disguise. Kravitz nods at Barry, and then follows through as well. The rift closes immediately behind him.

“Things...just went a bit awry is all,” Lydia says, “We were just having a nice chat, talking about the party and all that, and there was a...technical difficulty, on our part.”

“Technical difficulty?” Lup echoes. She points at the stage. “If he's unresponsive all the way _ back there _ and you're both are _ out here _ like nothing happened, then there's no fucking way there was technical difficulties. If you had any inkling something was wrong with Taako, you should’ve called for help!”

“In our defense,” Edward stammers, patting out the wrinkles in his shirt. “We _ did _think he was you. And we thought that kid was Taako.”

“Edward, shut up,” Lydia says, pinching her nose.

Lup looks at him ruefully, like she wants to put hands on him again. “So what you’re saying is: You would've done the same to me? To anyone else who’d be getting in the way?”

“Lup,” Lydia says. She puts up her hands up defensively. “Darling, this is all—”

“Don't _ ‘Darling’ _ me,” Lup snaps, stepping back. Her face shifts to something less angry and more hurt. “ _ Don't _ talk to me. Don’t talk to anyone near me. Stay the fuck away from my brother.” She looks over at Barry. “Babe, let's go.”

Barry follows Lup unquestionably out of the auditorium. Neither look back at the twins as they exit.

Lup says nothing as they walk away from the theatre, and back towards the lot where Barry parked his car. She remains silent as they get in and buckle up. As Barry starts up the transmission, Lup asks, “Was he hurt?”

Her eyes are devoid of anger. She had waited until they were both alone before letting her vulnerability show. She was a lot like Taako in that regard.

Barry shrugs and they start to pull out of the parking space. “Not hurt, but I wouldn’t say he was lucid either. I don’t know how long he was back there, or what they had done in that time.”

“I’m calling Lucretia,” Lup says, pulling out her phone. “We’re getting to the bottom of this to-day.”

* * *

As soon as Taako reappears outside of the theatre, he makes a mad dash to the subway station. He catches the first metro that can take him to campus. It’s a fitful two hours of Friday classes—spent sneaking around to avoid anyone who would know him—before he hops the metro again to ride back home. As soon as he passes through the doorway, he doesn’t stop to say ‘hey’ to Davenport, Magnus, or Merle as they wave to him in surprise. He dashes straight to his bedroom, diving into his bed and letting the sea of stuffed animals swallow him whole.

After a moment of yelling face down into his pillow horde, he reaches over at his bag and pulls out his phone to check the time. It’s close to 3:00pm. He’s gonna have to go all the way back to the theatre for the BoB. Somewhere between then and now he’s gonna have to deal with fallout, and that’s the last thing he wants to contend with.

Lup is probably gonna kick his ass. Barry will be sympathetic, but won’t stand in the way of Lup’s righteous anger. Maybe Kravitz will intervene. 

Speaking of Kravitz, Taako notices two notifications in his messages. They had been sent while Taako was riding the train, but he was too chicken to look at them. He checks it now:

**BoneDaddy: Babe, mind explaining what just went on earlier?**

**BoneDaddy: ?**

Taako rolls over on his side, not able to come up with a viable explanation via text. Why would Lup get Kravitz involved in all this? Why the fuck did he need rescuing from Barry? Why the hell was any of this going on?

Taako stares at the phone and feels very tired. There’s a gentle knock on his door.

Taako says nothing in response. The door opens slightly, and Lucretia sticks her head in. 

“May I enter?” she asks.

“Are you going to yell at me?” Taako mumbles.

“No.”

Taako lifts a languid hand to beckon her. “You may enter.”

Lucretia walks into Taako’s room and sits down on the side of his bed. Lucretia’s far more reserved than anyone else in the house when it comes to physical intimacy. But that doesn’t negate her matriarchal instincts when they need to come out. She gives Taako a pat on the back.

“Hmmm,” Taako hums.

“Lup called,” Lucretia says. “She said she and Barry would be coming home within the hour. Her tone was....tense, to say the least.”

“Think I have enough time to get off the grid?” Taako says, glancing at his phone again.

Lucretia smiles. “Taako, I know you. If you were seriously considering it, you would’ve done it already.”

“That’s fair,” Taako replies.

“Barry also said that there was a problem with the security bands. You were unresponsive while wearing one, and you didn’t come to, until it was removed.”

“Yeah, about that,” Taakos says. He sits up. “That security system is sketchy as all hell. Something happened to me—I—.” He reaches down to his backpack, and pull out the two wristbands left untouched. “I don’t remember what happened. But for sure, these fuckers are hella dangerous.”

Lucretia looks at the innocuous wristbands with an equally weary eye. She then shakes her head and sighs. “The system was authorized by Miller industries. I’ll get in touch with Lucas in a moment to sort this out. I just wanted to check in on you first.”

“_ We _ will touch in with Lucas,” Taako insists. He sits up and sets the bands on the bedside table. “Taako’s not going to go around slapping things on his body that ain’t gonna let cha’boy do what cha’boy wants to do.’

“Agreed,” Lucretia says, nodding. “I’ll see to it that we discontinue the use of the bands for this evening. Then you, Lup, and whoever else can have a firm speaking with him. Hopefully before we start the round.” She taps her chin. “And I’ll get in touch with the elf council. They’re using the theatre day after tomorrow. What you’re saying indicates that they may know more about the system then the BoB board does, and I don’t like that.”

“On that note,” Taako rises from his seat.“Might I ask why you agreed to collaborate on these shabangs? With the vogue twins especially?”

“I’m not one for making deals with dubious people,” Lucretia replies, her eyes hardlined. “But I will make compromises where I see great benefit. The BoB is meant to give an opportunity to students who just want their talents visible. I’m just trying to make that a reality.” She stands up, and the bed shifts from the change in weight. “I’ve been working on this for the better part of a year. So please, if you can, don’t do anymore damage than you’ve already done.”

“No promises,” Taako says, shrugging. 

Lucretia smiles at him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to make up a reasonable excuse to the Neverwinter Theatre management about why a few students from Eversummer were engaging in ‘suspicious behavior’ this morning.”

Taako gives her a thumbs up. “Thanks Creesh, you’re a real one.”

Lucretia turns to the door and heads out, closing it behind her. After a second or two, it opens up and she peeks her head in one last time. “You should change before Lup gets back, she might be more angry if you’re still dressed like her.”

“Noted,” Taako replies. 

“And eat something while you’re at it. I bet you skipped out on a decent meal today.”

“Noted!” Taako says, with feeling. The door closes, and Taako slowly pulls himself out of bed. Strewn on the back of his chair are the bagged outfits for tonight’s performance. Taako half considers putting his on now and saving time for later, but he opts instead to slip out of his current clothes and put on a pair of tights and a giant sweater. If he’s gonna be yelled at, he might as well soften the blows wherever he can.

* * *

Lup enters the house wordlessly, with Barry following close behind. Lucretia waves to them as she comes down the stairs.

“Creesh,” Lup says, gaze sharp. Focused. “Fratricide is illegal in this country, correct?”

“Last time I checked, it was,” Lucretia replies, turning from the stairs and heading to the basement. She barely bats an eye at Lup’s countenance. “And bail would be pretty damn steep.”

Lup nods and marches towards the stairs. “Yeah, I thought so.” She waves back at Barry. “Stay on gaurd down here. If he tries to escape, cut him off.”

“Noted,” Barry replies. And with that, Lup blinks up to the top floor.

As soon as she’s within range, Lup kicks open her brother’s door, sending it banging against the bedroom wall. Taako lets out a yelp of surprises, then dives behind his bed.

Before she can get a word in—or kill him, whichever comes first—Taako blurts out, “Are you cheating on Barold?!”

Lup stops in her tracks, and then shakes her head angrily. “Okay, first of all—_ No _ . Second of all—HELL NO. You _ do not _ get to turn this one around on me.” She walks over to him and points a finger at his face. “Why the hell were you sneaking around disguised as me? Why was Ango disguised as you? Why were you with Lydia? And why the hell were you tucked away in some sort of backstage closet?”

“To that last question,” Taako says, wagging a finger. “I’m gay, duh.”

“Nope. Nmm Mmm,” Lup says shaking her head, which is a sharp indicator that this is a code red situation. Taako’s ears press low against his head and he grabs a nearby pillow to shield himself.

“Funnily enough I’m not the only one.” He starts, then ducks, because at that moment, Lup tosses her backpack at him. It sails over his head and knocks into a hat stand, sending his collection of wizard hats scattering everywhere. “Excuse you!” Taako shouts. “You were going to go into a bad situation! I was trying to stop it!”

“Well you’re doing a pretty shitty job of explaining what the situation actually was!” Lup yells back. 

“Lydia tried to come one to me!” Taako replies. “And I said no. Then Edward showed up, and they did some spooky shit. And then you all came in guns blazing and—”

Wait,” Lup says. Her brow lowers. “Okay. Spooky shit aside, _ what _ happened with Lydia?”

Taako pulls a face. “She tried to kiss me, thinking I was you, and—”

Lup bursts out laughing.

“It’s not funny!” Taako yells. He throws a stuffed alligator at her, sending it bouncing off her shoulder. Her laughter increases.

“It kind of is,” Lup says, between giggles. “So she wanted to confess to me? Is _ that _ what’s happening there?” She sits down in a nearby chair and tries to catch her breath. “I guess that does explain a little bit. Dammit, Taako.” 

“Also she said—in no uncertain terms—that Barry wasn’t good enough and—”

The laughter stops immediately. Lup sits there, jaw set. Taako waits for her to think out her thoughts. After a moment of thoughtful contemplation, she looks up at him. “Fuck, I’m going to have to go back there, won’t I?”

“No, you won’t!” Taako declares. He stands up from behind his barricade of pillows. His hair and face look like a smudged mess from all the flopping around he’s been doing. “I’m not letting you go back there and get brainwashed or some shit! Need I remind you she’s the fucking worst?”

“You are also the worst, you know that?” Lup responds, but her tone isn’t angry. She looks at him with a sort of mean fondness, like how she’s supposed to look at him. Taako grins and walks over to her.

“Thank Istus,” He says. He places a hand on her shoulder. “I’d almost thought you’d been abducted and I’ve been talking to a doppelganger this whole fuckin’ time.”

“I _ am _your doppelganger,” She says, sticking her tongue out.

Taako frowns. “Then why haven’t you usurped me and stolen my identity yet, _ coward! _”

Lup laughs and reaches out to punch his arms. “If I recall correctly, you pulled that exact stunt today,_ asshole! _”

“I could’ve been brainwashed, _ goofus! _” Taako yells, pushing her back.

Lup get in closer and wraps her knuckles on his forehead. “How could they brainwash you, _ dingus? _ You’ve barely got any brain cells in there to control!”

Taako laughs at her, not even bothering to dodge her blows. Lup gets up from the chair and gives her brother a hug. He makes a noise of protest, but doesn’t shy away from her. They stand there for a minute or two, relaxing a bit after such a stressful morning.

“Sorry you were worried,” Taako says, after a beat.

“You’re damn right I was worried,” Lup says. She pulls away and gives him a bonk on the head with the palm of her hand. “Go downstairs and eat something, we bought tempura. Angus is down there. Apologize for roping him into this mess. And say thank you to Barry for saving your ass.”

“In that order?” Taakos questions. Lup points to the door.

Taako leaves in a huff, grumbling all the way down the hall. Lup stays back a moment, waiting for him to get to the stairs. 

The wristbands on the bedside table have caught her eye. She picks them up and inspects them carefully. They’re a bright neon color. Papery and innocuous. She tries to tear them in her hands, but they don’t budge. A flame burst forth from her grip, and they start to burn. Lup knows how things are supposed to sound when they burn. But these crackle in way that paper normally shouldn’t. 

She dumps the ashes of the bands in a nearby bin and exits the room.

* * *

“Oh hey, food!” Taako exclaims, as he comes down the stairs. Angus is sitting at the dining room table, a laptop beside the bowl of noodles he is currently slurping out of. Magnus and Merle are seated in the living room, playing another game of Mario Kart. 

“Taako,” Magnus calls, not looking away from the screen. “Tell Merle we’re not doing bagpipes tonight.” 

“Yes, we are!” Merle argues back. “We’ve talked about it already and I think it’ll give the song some flair. You want us to be stand outs, don’t you?”

“Stand outs, not knocked out,” Taako replies, walking past them. “You know what? flip a coin. I gotta talk to Ango for a minute.” Taako enters the dining room and reaches over Angus’ head to grab a tray containing broccoli and rice. With his free hand, he ruffles Angus’s hair. 

“My bad for putting you in a rough sitch kiddo,” he says, grabbing a packet of chopsticks. “Ya did alright. And thanks, Barold. For bailing me out.”

“You’re welcome,” the other two say simultaneously. The nerds.

“So you got that recording stuff for me kiddo?” Taako asks, pulling up a seat beside the kid.

“About that,” Angus starts to say. He looks visibly disappointed. “I was only able to get two of the three cameras I planted, sir. I have one from the manager's office, one near the dressing rooms. One of them is still in the theatre.”

“Which one is missing?”

“The one backstage, directly behind the curtains.” Angus says, his voice barely above a whimper. “I was on my way to retrieve it, but then I saw you approaching. And you didn’t look like yourself—I mean other than the fact that you looked like Miss Lup—and I got scared, so I went back to the front. And then Mr. Barry showed up, and—”

“Stop talking,” Taako says, waving a hand in front of the kid’s face. Angus stops, looking two seconds away from crying. Taako rolls his eyes. “Round two of the BoB is tonight. Just tell me where you hid it and cha’boy will scope it out.”

“It’s pretty deftly hidden,” Angus says. “But I’ll draw you out a map.” As he puts down his chopsticks and pulls the laptop between the two of them, Lup comes down the stairs. Her coat is on, book bag in hand. She bypasses all of them and heads toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Taako asks, eyeing her suspiciously. 

“Damage control,” Lup replies, with an equally pointed look.

“Do you need a ride?” Barry ask, getting up from his seat.

“If you don’t mind,” Lup replies, and gives him as kiss as he opens the door for her.

Taako makes a gagging face before yelling, “ Don’t come crying to me if you get fucking brainwashed too! There’s only one dumb twin allowed in this family!”

“That’s a reputation that you are perfectly welcome to have,” Lup calls back. “I’ll call you if things go haywire!”

“Fuckin’ better,” Taako grumbles, as he sits back down again. He reshifts his focus to the computer screen. “Alright McDangus, lay that biz on me.”

There’s already a video up set at a certain timestamp. Angus hits play and says, “Here’s the one in the manager’s office. I hid it right when you were starting the tour with Brian.”

On the screen, he can set Angus setting up the camera, and darting out of the room. Moments later, he hears Edwards voice. Both Edward and Lydia enter the office. From the position of the camera, it looks as though they are being viewed from some sort of nearby shelf. They sound like they’re trying to whisper something, and doing it poorly.

Lydia looks angry. **“Why did you tell him about me and her, you asshole!”**

**“So he could tell her,” ** Edward replies. ** “And she’d come confront you.”**

**“But why would you invite ** ** _him_ ** ** over here! You’re so fucking problematic—”**

Edward cuts her off. **_“Because_****, my dear sister, you’re losing ****_sight_**** of the big picture here! We have four goddamn days to get this show on the road and the last thing I need is someone riding on our ass about this. Fun and games are over.”**

**“Fine! You want to playtest the system so fucking badly? Fine.” **Her expression is unreadable.

“Scoot ahead a bit,” Taako says. Angus complies and jumps ahead an hour. The scene changes, with Edward talking to Magic Brian.

**“And you’re certain it can be patched up before Saturday?” ** Edward asks. **“And it won’t affect the rooftop at all. If we’re not careful, they may shut the whole building down.”**

**“Oh, certainly,” ** Brian replies. ** “Lucretia and I inspected everything backstage this weekend. “Everything’s a bit old, but if necessary, a few impromptu replacements won’t dip too deeply into our budget.”**

**“Excellent.”**

Angus pulls up the other file and skips to a moment where Lydia is standing outside the dressing rooms. Magic Brian with her. 

**“Did you talked to Lucas yet?” **Lydia asks.

**“Of course, my dear,”** Brian replies. ** “Ze system was installed just yesterday. Ve should be having no delays from here on out.”**

**“Still need entertainment,” **Lydia notes.

**“Reconsider my suggestion,” ** Brian says. ** “We’ve got good performers here tonight, offer them the opportunity.”**

**“Consider your suggestion...considered.”**

Magnus butts his head between Taako and Angus and looks at the computer screen. “What movie are you guys watching?”

“Not a movie,” Angus replies. “We’re doing some important investigation work, sir.” Merle enters the dining room table and sits down beside Taako. 

“While you’re investigating that,” he says. “Would you mind flipping a coin for ole Maggie and me. I can’t trust him to do it, and he won’t trust me.”

Angus obediently takes a quarter from a small pocket in his shorts. He holds it in his hand and asks, “Heads or tails?”

“Heads,” Magnus shouts.

“Tails,” Merle says. 

Angus flips the coin. “It’s tails,” He says. 

Merle whoops with glee. Taako and Magnus look less than ecstatic.

“Mind taking a moment to go downstairs and practicing with that?” Magnus asks his compatriots. “If we have to use it, we should squeeze whatever time we have to get it right.”

Taako sighs. “Yeah, we should.” He reaches out and ruffles Ango’s hair. “We’ll have to save investigating for later. But, keep it up D’jangus. I can’t give this mystery my whole attention, but when I do, we’ll blow this case right open.”

* * *

Lup walks up the staircase to the Neverwinter theatre rooftop. As soon as she had entered, she spotted Edward in the front lobby, talking to a bunch of other elf council students. He was about to protest to her being there, but her hands immediately erupted into flame and he backed off. As she walks through the door, she see how far they've gotten with the decor. Everything looks pristine, and neat, and rich as fuck. Lydia is seated on a pulse couch, looking out at the view of the city below her. Lup fake coughs into her arm, and Lydia's attention snaps to her.

“Lup!” Lydia says, with surprise. “You—you’re here?”

“Yep,” Lup replies. “Took a hunch that you’d be here. After this morning’s fiasco, contemplation time would be needed.”

“Why did you come back?” Lydia asks starting to rise from her seat. “After what happened?” Lup motions for her to sit down again, then take the spot of another couch opposite her, folding her hands neatly on her lap.

“Because you wanted to talk to me,” Lup says. “Actual me. Taako told me you had something to get off your chest. So I’m here to listen.”

Lydia’s frowns, like she’s not quite registering what is being said. “You’re weird, Lup.” 

“Hell yeah,” Lup says with a grin, before dabbing. Lydia’s expression goes from dubious, to amused, to uncertain.

“Your brother got pissy at me,” she replies. “Because I said something about your boyfriend.”

Lup raises her brows, her ears flicking with rapt attention. “You want to run the same thing by me?”

Lydia’s gaze jumps between all the nearest available exits before landing back on Lup. She very quietly says, “_ ....no? _”

“Wise decision,” Lup says, leaning back. Her voice is terrifyingly calm. “Nobody talks shit about my Barry and lives.”

Lydia scoffs. “So that’s it, huh,” she says, and there’s a bitter edge in her voice. “You came here to wring my neck and call it a day?”

“I came to say that we shouldn’t be friends. Not that we were to begin with.” 

A torrent of emotions pour onto Lydia’s face. All of them pained, all of them unpleasant. Lup feels sort of bad. But she knows that that feeling isn’t worth her time anymore. 

“It’s stupid,” Lydia says, more to herself. She’s not looking at Lup anymore. “It’s stupid that I like you, I think even _ admire _ you. But you and your brother are _fucking _ _ insufferable _. Is that weird?”

“We’re in college,” Lup replies. “Weird shit happens all the time. I saw two kids full on jousting in the north campus quad the other day and I didn’t even bat an eye. You think some dumb crush born out of rivalry is gonna outshine that?”

“No, I suppose not,” Lydia admits with a sigh. She looks in Lup’s direction, but it’s more through her than at her. “You really are too kind. It’s gonna hurt you if you keep it up.”

“Yeah?” Lup asks, rising from her seat. “Well, I’m not the one hurting right now.”

“You’re leaving?” Lydia questions. “Don’t you have the BoB performance tonight?” 

Lup pauses. “Taako’s performing tonight. Did he mention that to you?”

“He confirmed—acting as you, I might add—that you were performing tonight.”

“Huh,” Lup says. She kicks at the dust beneath her feet. “Well, maybe so. In the meantime, _ do _ stay out of my way. I meant what I said about keeping your fucking distance. I’m letting you off easy because the last thing this place needs is a crime scene."

“I’d like to see you try,” Lydia replies, listlessly. 

“Also,” Lup adds. “Before I go, does you brother have a crush on my brother?”

“Oh, hell no,” Lydia replies. Her nose scrunches at the thought. “Fuck no. He hates you both easily.”

“Oh, thank The Queen,” Lup says. “I just wanted to make sure that was clear.”

Lup turns on her heel and hops onto the ledge of the building, nimbly. a breeze of wind ripples the length of her long, black skirt. A streak of panic crosses Lydia’s face.

“What the hell are you doing?!” she shouts.

“Later, Lydia,” Lup says, before taking the leap.

“Lup!” Lydia yells. Her breath catches as she scrambles at the ledge. But Lup has already cast blink. Her clothes flutter as she disappears. Lydia is left looking over the edge in stunned silence.

Lup reappears on the sidewalk in front of the theatre, upright and chill. She watches the street signs, then crosses the street. She doesn’t bother to look up, she knows she’s still being watched. Barry is waiting for her a block away, leaning against his car. When he catches sight of Lup, he smiles. Lup smiles back at him.

“Hey nerd,” She says, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “It feels like forever since I last kissed you, doesn’t it?”

“Forever’s a funny way of saying earlier today,” he replies, chuckling. “Wanna go get cocoa before the performance?”

“Sounds good,” she says, and presses a kiss on the bridge of his nose. “Has it been forever since I last told I loved you too?”

“Nah,” he says. “But I wouldn’t mind it if you told me again.”

“_Love you,_” she murmurs. And he smiles, knowing it to be true.

* * *

As soon as 6:00pm rolls around, Taako, Magnus, and Merle start loading their instruments into the back of the Starblaster. Merle cradles his bagpipe case with the carefulness of a newborn babe. 

“Now Merle,” Magnus says, eyeing the old man with suspicion. “I hope you realize that this performance determines if we go to the final round.”

Merle waves a dismissive hand. “I’ve got you laddies covered! No need to worry about me and the old pipe bag!”

“Odds are looking 25/75 to me,” Taako says. “And that’s only if he doesn’t try to pull and ‘epic sax guy’ stunt.”

“Don’t give him ideas,” Magnus whispers.

They’re not in a rush this time, so they change into their costumes. They are dressed in matching purple jumpsuits, the back of each displaying a large, highly detailed painting of a unique animal. On Magnus’s back is a bear. Merle’s is an owl. Taako’s is a mongoose. 

The trio pile into the Starblaster with Davenport. Angus is included, with the promise of depositing him off safely at home before heading toward the theatre.

“Can I drive?” Magnus begs. Davenport looks at him dubiously, but sighs as he scoots his small frame over to the passenger side.

It’s a calmer ride from Angus’s home to the Theatre downtown, thanks to Magnus not driving like a mad man. There’s already a long line outside, like the night before. They go around to the back, seemingly the first group to arrive. As they enter the dressing room, Taako’s eyes raise when he catches Kravitz already waiting there. He sits in the far corner, already dressed up. His large cello case is leaned against a table beside him.

Kravitz is wearing a black slacks, and a double breasted vest over a black collared shirt. He’s not wearing a tie, which is probably the most casual Taako has ever seen him be. When Kravitz spots Taako, he looks pleasantly surprised, and then uncertain. Taako walks towards him and grabs a chair before Kravitz can rise from his seat.

“Hey, babe,” Taako says, plopping down beside him. He reaches out to run a hand hand along the seams of Kravitz’s vest. Up close, he can see that it has a slight burgundy shine, and a swirling pattern embroidering the collar. On Kravitz’s face is red under eye makeup, which brings out his cheekbones beautifully. Taako approves. “What are you doing here, looking all gorgeous by yourself?”

“I was just waiting for my bandmates to get here,” Kravitz replies, preening a little from Taako’s compliments. “Can’t win a battle with a single cavalryman.”

“He’d have to be a pretty fucking good one,” Taako says. He pokes Kravitz’s arm. “But I’ve heard you play. You could wipe the fuckin’ floor with half these goons out here.”

“Your sentiment is appreciated,” Kravitz says, smiling just a bit. After a second, he lowers his voice and asks, “Are you okay?”

Taako nods, looking away from the concerned look on Kravitz’s face. He keeps his hand rested on his boyfriend's arm. “Taako’s good, babe. Had a bit of a mental fuckery going on earlier, but nothing cha’boy can’t handle.”

“Are you sure?” Kravitz asks, raising a brow. “Taako, you’ve done crazy things before, but this—”

“Guys, you’re on in seven!” Brad calls from the door. He’s wearing a headset and checking his watch. “I need you in the wings in three minutes.”

“Cool! Got it!” Magnus yells. He hoists one of his drums on his shoulders and looks at Taako. “Let’s get a move on!”

Taako motions for him to go ahead. “I’m having a meaningful conversation here! Gimme a sec.” He turns and looks back at Kravitz. “Where were we?”

Kravitz sighs. He leans forward and gives Taako a kiss on the forehead. “Be careful, love. And don’t hesitate to reach out to me. When you’re ready to, that is.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Taako mumbles, but he looks at Kravitz all fond. How did he get such a sweet boy? He doesn’t know. But damn if he isn’t gonna keep him close for as long as elvenly possible, and then some. “Thanks for...the space, I guess.”

Kravitz smiles, then gives Taako a light shove. “Now go! You’re on in five! I’ll be watching from the wings.”

“You fucking better!” Taako says, jumping up. He blows Kravitz a kiss, then grabs his guitar case and runs towards the stage.

* * *

As soon as Brad ends introductions, Tres Horny boys walk on stage. The crowd cheers.

Taako steps up to the mic and says, “Thank you everybody. And now, here’s Wonderwall!” The crowd shifts from cheering to booing. Magnus and Merle are included in the booing. Taako laughs and gives his guitar a quick strum. “Just kidding, okay hit it!”

Merle blows into his bagpipes very softly, and the steadily rising sound has a calming effect over the crowd. Magnus lets a wash of cymbals mix in with the sound, before hitting the beat at a steady pace. The moment Taako starts strumming the melody, the crowd starts to clap along.

_ “Have you got color in your cheeks? _ ” Taako sings softly. _ “Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift the type that sticks around, like summat in your teeth?” _

The light paneling behind them changes colors with the beat of the drums, washing everything in hues of purple and blue.

_ “Are there some aces up your sleeve? Have you no idea that you're in deep? I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week.” _

The set is performed fantastically, bagpipes included. As soon as the song is over, the crowd erupts into applause. Taako glances over to the side and sees Kravitz clapping for him in the wings. Brad comes up and starts to usher them off stage, preparing the crowd for the next group.

“You guys were great!” Kravitz says. Magnus gives him a fist bump, and Taako slings an arm around him shoulders. The four of them exit backstage, and the memory of remembering to look back to check for the camera passes Taako’s mind.

“Taako!” calls a familiar voice. Taako looks up and sees Ren waving at him from down the hall. She’s wearing a t-shirt that says, “I went to the BoB and all I got was this T-shirt.” He’s about to wave back, but then he notices something.

“Hey,” he says. He points at the brightly colored wristband on her arm. “What are you doing with this thing on?”

“Huh?” Ren asks, confused. She glances at it. “They gave these out when we entered. Everyone got one. But to be honest, I think there’s a bit of an argument going on right now about it.”

“This was supposed to be discontinued tonight,” Taako murmurs.

“Argument?” Merle asks. 

Ren nods and points towards the front lobby. “Lucretia and some other people were having a back and forth about the check in.”

“Babe, can you go find some scissors to cut that off Ren?” Taako asks Kravitz. “It’s important.” He motions to Merle and Magnus. “Let’s go talk to Lucretia. This is hella weird.”

* * *

While Team Sweet flips performs an all instrumental cover of _ Thrift Shop _ in the auditorium, Tres Horny Boys enter the front lobby. Lucretia is definitely out there, as well as a Magic Brian, and a few other people that the trio does not recognize.

“I don’t care if the percentage of fault is low,” Lucretia says, sounding much more upset than usual. “If it has the potential to harm someone, we shouldn’t continue passing them out!”

“Hey Creesh!” Magnus says, waving a hand at her. She looks up at them but doesn’t wave3 back. Her clipboard is clutched tightly in her hands. 

“Yo, where’s Lucas?” Taako says, eyeing the group around her. They’s all elves, Magic Brian included. They stand around him, waiting to confer to his opinion.

“Sorry boys,” Lucretia says, her tone shifting from frustrated to apologetic. “He hasn’t touched base all day. I’m kind of pulling double duty here. That’s why Brad is MC’ing. And why I’m here telling Brian and his venue committee to stop distributing the bands until we hear from him.” 

“You mean you don’t know where he is?” Merle asks.

“Certainly Lucas Miller is fine,” Magic Brian says, waving a placating hand. “Came down with a cold or something. It’s nearly vintertime!”

“He would’ve given a heads up,” Lucretia declares. “But it doesn’t matter if we need his okay because _ I’m _ director here. And If I say the security system is it’s own risk, we shut it down!”

“You tell em, Creesh!” Magnus says, standing beside her and towering over her. Taako and Merle stand beside her too. The four of them together shoot glares at the group of mildly disapproving elves.

Magic Brian nods his head. “You are correct. I’ll have some of ze staff members come around during intermission and help the attendees get theirs removed. And we can discontinue usage for the final round.”

“Excellent,” Lucretia says. And from where they are all standing, they can hear Team sweet flip’s set come to a conclusion. Lucretia checks her phone and says, “Intermission starts now. I need all hands on deck. There are scissors in the office supply closet. If we’re quick we can get this done before the next set.”

* * *

As soon as intermission ends, Johann, Avi, and Robbie take the stage. Johann has his violin at the ready, Avi has two different launchpads set up before him, and Robbie has switched out his (drug storage) Tuba, in favor of a trombone. The tree of them come together to form the strangest amalgamation of _ Wake Me Up_ anyone’s ever heard. 

But somehow it works? The crowd screams for it anyway.

As the band plays, Taako ducks backstage. There is an eerie vibe to being away from everyone else. He hears something groaning from up above, but chooses to ignore it, attributing it to regular old theatre noises. He very carefully weaves through the boxes, his darkvision making it seem like a non-issue. After a bit of searching—damn, Ango is _ very _ good at hiding shit—he finally finds the small camera, hidden amongst a pile of dusty, old costumes. 

He books it the fuck out of there because, though he’ll never admit it, backstage is creepy as hell. He tucks it in one of his many pockets and breathes a sigh of relief. The camera is with him, the staff have gotten rid of the wristbands, and the Reapers are about to take the stage.

Taako barely manages to squeeze a spot between Magnus and Ren, when Lup, Barry, and Kravitz all gather together for the final performance of the night. Brad hands the mic over to Lup, and she smiles out to the crowd. She’s wearing a short black dress with long sleeves. It’s hard to tell from the audience’s vantage point, but it shines like it’s covered in sequins. 

Barry takes his spot behind his keyboard. He’s wearing a burgundy button up and a black vest, opposite Krav. He _is_ wearing a pair of dark wash jeans to keep with the styling. Kravitz pulls up his bow to his cello, and waits for Lup’s signal. She nods, and he starts to play.

The sound is low, and distant. The crowd quiets once more. The lights fall, taking on a faded, reddish hue.

_ “When I first saw you...the end was soon,” _ Lup sings, barely above a hum. _ “To Bethlehem, It slouched and then, Must've caught a good look at you….” _

Now everyone knows that Taako can belt a song like no one’s business. But what no one knows is that where Taako belts, Lup runs like there’s no tomorrow.

_ “Give your heart and soul to charity. 'Cause the rest of you, the best of you...Honey, belongs to me.” _

Her black sequin dress shimmers in the stage lights. But as she sings, she runs her hands down her sleeves, and the color changes from black to a stream of iridescent reds and oranges and yellows.

_ “Ain't it a gentle sound, the rollin' in the graves?...Ain't it like thunder under earth, the sound it makes?” _

“Well, I’m gay,” Ren says, matter-of-factly. 

“Not you too,” Taako mutters.

“What?”

“Nothing.

* * *

“Thank you to Everyone,” Lucretia says into the mic. “We want to give one more round of applause for the amazing performances here tonight.”

Lucretia goes on listing the sponsors. All the band groups wait backstage for their cue to go up. Lup stands in the very back of the line with Barry and Kravitz. She adjusts the skirt of her dress and teeters on her heels.

“My shoes are killing me,” She whispers to them. “I’m gonna go and change into my flats.”

“Hurry back,” Kravitz says. Lup nods and rushes back to the dressing rooms. As she enters, she grabs a pair of black flats, ready to change into them. Right as she does, she looks up and catches sight of Lydia standing across the room. They both flinch at each other with surprise.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Lup asks, slipping out of her heels.

“Just wanted to see what the fuss was about,” Lydia replies, hurriedly. 

Before Lup can get in another word, Magnus calls back to her from down the hall, “They’re about to announce the winners. Let’s go!”

Lup runs out, barefoot with flats in hand. She slips on the flats just as the others are corralled on stage. Between the murmurs of the crowd and the chance encounter with Lydia, her head is in a tailspin.

“Congratulations everyone!” Lucretia announces excitedly. She looks through her clipboard. “The votes are in! The first team set to go head to head in the final round of the battle of the bands is...Tres horny boys!’

“YEAH!” Magnus shots, pulling Taako and Merle into a bear hug. The two don’t even protest as they whoop with their own levels of excitement.

“...aaaaaaaand the second team is The Reapers!”

“Holy fucking shit,” both twins say at the same time. They lock eyes with each other, absolutely stunned at the news.

Taako starts beaming.

Lup grins back. 

Before they can reach out to hug each other, there is a loud and thunderous sound.

They snap to attention as the large, heavy curtain directly behind the drum kit collapses. Another one falls right after it, knocking over the LED light panels that light up the stage. There is a groan of something up above them straining, and as they book it away, there follows the sound of an actual explosion. The audience is screaming, no longer from excitement but from panic. People are running for the emergency exits. Magnus grabs Merle and Lucretia and leaps directly from the stage. Everyone else books it down the staircases, trying not to trip each other up. 

Something backstage keeps shuddering.

They keep running.

The curtains keep falling. 


	17. I’ve learned something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out to be too thick so I had to divide it! A small price to pay for an ending that I can be satisfied with. I'm going to post the FINAL final chapter this saturday, so please hang in there, and thank you for reading so far!

It’s a long night.

The bands wait patiently in the theatre parking lot, as concert-goers are ushered out by volunteers, and first responders rush in. The street is lit up with firetrucks and ambulances. The entrance to the theatre is sealed off with caution tape. Everyone still within a block of the theatre does what they can to calm down after the ruckus. Kravitz and Barry go on a series of coffee and donut runs. It’s cold outside, and most everyone is stuck in their costumes. Davenport drives the Starblaster back to the house to go get warmer clothes.

It’s nearly two hours before Lucretia exits the backdoor of the theatre, still talking with a police officer. As soon as she’s spotted, everyone crowds around.

“Can we go in and help?” Magnus asks, the first to say something.

“Not until they finish surveying the damage,” Lucretia replies. She looks extremely tired. “There’s been no injuries reported, which is good.” Everyone breathes a sigh of relief at that.

What about damages?” Barry asks.

“The rigging system is a wreck,” She replies, rubbing her forehead. “Some cables snapped, that’s what caused the curtains to fall. Not to mention a small electrical fire. They’re putting out the smoke right now. We won’t know further details until they can move the curtains out of the way.”

“Let’s go home,” Lup says, stepping up. She wraps her arms around Lucretia. “This whole thing is gonna drive us all bonkers anyway. At least let’s be bonkers somewhere warm.”

“I have to stay,” Lucretia says, leaning into Lup’s hug. “Half my crew just up and disappeared. There’s so many people I have to account for—calls, emails.”

“Gonna have to pull a Cap’n port, huh?” Magnus says good-naturedly. Lucretia smiles just a little bit at that.

“Yeah,” she replies. She looks at the ground and then back up at them. “You all should go home, though. You did a good job tonight, you’ve...made me really proud.” Her voice wavers, like she’s about to burst into tears at any moment. Everyone around her looks a mix of sad and frustrated at the situation.

“We’ll stay up with you,” Lup says. “It’s close to midnight. If you are here by yourself, you probably won’t sleep at all.”

“Yeah,” Merle says. “You really think we’re gonna let you tackle this whole deal yourself.”

“Taako’s good out here,” Taako says, despite visibly shivering from the cold. Lucretia looks at them all gratefully.

They stay out till nearly 2:00 am in the morning. By that point, all of the bystanders and most of the concert-goers have gone home. Within those hours, Davenport comes back with blankets, coats, and heat pads. Everyone puts on the warm clothes and huddles into something of a pile. Barry and Kravitz return and squeeze their way in.

Lucretia sits in the middle of the pile, pouring over her phone and laptop. After one last email is sent out, she puts away her stuff and leans back on Magnus. If she looked tired before, she looks exhausted now.

“I don’t want tomorrow to come so fast,” she murmurs.

“It’s already on its way, dear,” Lup replies. She’s the first one to rise and sketch out. “Let’s go, guys. If we fall asleep on the stairs, we’re going to regret a lot more than a failed set.”

“Speak for yourself,” Taako replies. “Our band fucking wiped the floor with you nerds.”

“You were the first performance!” Lup exclaims.

“Yeah, and we set the bar pretty damn high!”

“Guys,” Magnus says, in his not-quite-whispering voice. “Shhhhh!” They turn and see Lucretia has fallen fast asleep, leaned up against him. Magnus picks her up with his huge arms and carries her back to the Starblaster. Davenport and Merle also climb in, taking the seats up front. The rest of them get into Barry and Kravitz’s cars. They all pull out of the lot and go home.

No one sleeps very well.

* * *

Friday morning, Taako comes down the stairs to the sound of shouting.

“How did this happen?” Lucretia exclaims. “We had a full inspection last weekend! What went wrong?” As Taako enters the dining room, he sees her holding her phone in one hand, a mug of coffee in the other, and her laptop open on the table in front of her. Barry is also seated at the table, trying to help her sort through a swath of documents.

Lup is in the kitchen, shouting a Merle while grabbing a pair of oven mitts. She opens the oven and pulls out a nearly charcoaled quiche. Smoke pours into the air, which sends them both into a coughing fit. Magnus rushes in from his bedroom to open up the nearest windows. This has the unfortunate drawback of letting in the early morning cold.

“Close the window!” Lup says, shivering immediately.

“But the smoke!” Merle protests.

“There wouldn’t be any smoke if you had set the timer!”

“Could you guys keep it down in there?” Lucretia asks, looking at everyone in the kitchen. Everyone quiets down, and she goes back to her phone call, which is arguably just as loud. Everyone sounds on edge, which is fair, since none of them got very much sleep.

“Just another chill Friday morning,” Taako grumbles, as he bypasses all of them and goes straight to the fridge. He grabs the milk, taking advantage of the mild chaos to get away with sipping is straight out without grabbing a cup. “Where’s Davenport?”

“Went ahead to campus,” Lup replies. She makes at face at him and pulls a cup out of the cabinet. She shakes it at him and he grabs it with reluctance. “Got called in to give a witness account for campus administration.”

“Can’t they have it repaired? ” Lucretia asks. “The last battle it tonight! I don’t care if it’s not—Fine...just...keep me updated, okay?” She grips the phone in her hand a lot tighter than necessary. 

“Lucretia?” Barry asks, tapping her arm. She glances at him, then at her tight grip. She sets down the phone and takes a sip of her coffee.

She says, “The damage to the rigging was...the theatre has been shut down due to safety violations. There’s already a crew coming in to repair things. But, from how it looks now, it’s not safe to have the concert there tonight.”

“What?” Everyone shouts simultaneously. Taako sputters on his milk, coughing as Magnus yanks it from his hands and pats him on the back. Lup dumps the burnt quiche into the garbage.

“What could have happened to it?” She asks, leaving the kitchen and taking a seat beside Barry.

“I don’t know,” Lucretia says, sounding a mix of exasperated and tired. “There’s been no word from Lucas AT ALL, so I need to make sure to account for him. I’m going to meet with Brad. We’re going to have a closer look at the stage and hopefully figure something out before tonight.” She looks down at herself. She’s still in her pajamas. “I...should go change.”

“I can give you a lift,” Barry offers. Lucretia nods with appreciation, then gathers up her things. She and Barry both head upstairs to get dressed.

Merle closes the kitchen windows as Taako and Magnus enter the dining room and slump into chairs. No one says anything. The air still smells faintly of burnt quiche.

“Koko,” Lup murmurs, after a minute or two of silence. “Sorry about the show.”

“I’m not gonna trip,” Taako replies, shrugging. “We made it to the last round. We’re pretty damn good regardless.”

“Right,” Merle notes. “I think it’s only fair that Lucretia is the most upset about all this. She organized the whole thing.”

“Instead of moping around here,” Magnus suggests. “Would any of you mind coming with me to the campus to help me take down my woodshop installation. It could be a good distraction.”

Merle shrugs. “It’s not like I have any class today.”

“You’re a professor, ” Magnus points out.

“Allegedly,” Lup says under her breath.

Merle rolls his eyes. “I’ll just send my students an email. Give ‘em day off. Not like I give them much to do anyway.

“I can’t believe you have tenure,” Taako grumbles. He rises from his seat. “Fine. But if I get a splinter moving all that stuff, I’m suing.”

* * *

As soon as Taako, Merle and Magnus are readied and out the door, the house is a lot quieter.

Barry comes down the stairs fully dressed, slipping on a heavy denim jacket. Lup cleans up the kitchen and the dining room. Lucretia comes down the stairs a moment after, phone still in hand. She sounds distracted as she speaks to the person on the other end.

“Angus, hello!” She says. Lup and Barry perk up at the mentioning of the young boy. Lucretia wiggles her backpack on with her free has as she speaks into the phone. “I’m surprised—wait, no I shouldn’t be. Yes, I know you’re the world’s greatest detective, I just—Oh, a video? Really? Alright, we’ll be there shortly!” 

She practically pushes Barry as he grabs the keys and opens the door. “Angus is already with the Neverwinter militia. The theater has security footage! It’s old, but it might give insight to what happened!”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Barry says, opening the door. Lup slips a kiss on his lips just before Lucretia and he heads to the car.

“Call me if anything happens!” Lup says, waving them both out the door. “Taako, Maggie, and I have dress rehearsal at 6. Just a heads up!”

“We’ll keep you posted,” Lucretia replies. And they set off.

* * *

There is something noticeably wrong when the trio steps onto campus.

For one reason, it’s much quieter than usual. Even in the midst of class change, there aren’t that many students out and about. And those that are out, are quietly resigned. Word about the incident of the previous night went out fast, scaring a large number of students before administration could send an email about it. Merle isn’t the only one to cancel class, as Taako and Magnus both get emails for the canceling of their first classes on the metro ride. 

For another reason, there are big, hot pink signs plastered everywhere on campus. And they all read—in even brighter, neon yellow lettering—**WAVE ECHO RAVE: SAT @ 10PM.**

Merle, Taako, and Magnus attempt to block out the view with their hands. However, they were unable to escape the garish posters, which seem to be around every corner. They are stuck on front doors, restroom doors, taking up whole bulletin boards, and even some on the ceiling for good measure. As they pass the main library, a line of posters greet them along the bricked wall.

“Aren’t there designated areas for them to put up these things?” Merle asks, squinting.

“Not when you have the money to just avoid protocol,” Taako replies, he reaches into his backpack and pulls out a pair of sunglasses, sighing just a bit at the reprieve.

“Why would they do this?” Magnus asks. “Isn’t their thing personal invitation only? Or am I missing something here?”

“No, you’re right,” Taako says. He suddenly stops. He walks over to the nearest poster and yanks it off the wall. It’s painful to look at, even with the shades, but he scans the print for any further information. But there’s nothing there.

“This...doesn’t make sense,” Taako asks. “There’s a time and day but no place. Nothing else. Not how to get, not even the dress code. What the fuck?”

“Okay…” Magnus says. “So...what do we do?”

Taako tucks the poster in his bag and adjust his shades. “Before we head over to the exhibition, let’s talk to Ren for a sec.”

“Are you sure you’re not just skipping out on heavy lifting?” Magnus asks.

“That too!” Taako says. He grabs his compatriots by the wrists and leads them towards the student center. 

It’s not a moment into entering the Davy Lamp, when Ren notices them from the counter and ducks around to launch herself into a hug at them. 

“I was so worried!” She exclaims, offering a hug to each one. “Are you guys okay? As soon as everything started crashing everyone took off running! That was like a nightmare!”

“We’re okay,” Magnus replies. “Physically anyway. We’re kind of beat though, it was a pretty rough night.”

“You guys want lunch?” Ren says, pointing her thumb back at the counter. “It’ll be on me, since you guys did so well in your performance.”

Magnus shakes his head. “Ah, you don’t have to—” 

Taako and Merle yank Magnus’s collar down and slap their hands over his mouth to silence him.

“We’d love to make good on that lunch offer,” Merle says. “We could use a good meal after all the fuss.” 

“Oh yes, absolutely!” Taako says, nodding his head in agreement.

“Sure thing, boys,” Ren chuckles. As she turns back around to the counter, she points to a familiar looking neon pink sign hanging on a nearby wall, right beside the eatery menu. “Have you guys seen this shit? They were put up before I started my shift. I don’t know why the elf council would even bother. Who needs a hype campaign for an exclusive party?”

“That’s mainly what we came here to talk to you about,” Taako says. “Got any dirt on the situation?”

“A little buzz,” Ren says. “After the BoB, most students that have dropped by showed interest in the gig, but they have no clue where it is or how to get in. I mentioned off handedly that it was at the rooftop, but it was invite only.”

“Not anymore, from the looks of it,” Magnus notes.

“What the fuck are those dipshits up to?” Taako asks.

* * *

Lup rides the metro with a solemn sort of calm. It’s absolutely shitty that the BoB might be cancelled tonight. She knows how much that meant to Lucretia, how much it meant to her brother, despite him not letting it on. There’s still the fall concert going on tomorrow, though.

_ Maybe I can squeeze one more act in at the last second _, she thinks, before her phone starts ringing. 

“Go for Lup,” she replies, picking up the call.

“Lup,” Lucretia says on the other end, somehow managing to sound even more worried than before. “I, um. I need you to come over. To the campus administration office.” 

“What?” Lup asks. “Why me?”

Lucretia tries to reply, but her words catch in her mouth. 

Another voice pipes up over the phone. “It’s very pertinent that you come over ma’am! We’re having a bit of trouble.”

“Angus?” Lup asks. “Are you helping Lucretia?”

“I am,” Angus says. “And, for practicality’s sake, we’ll need your witness statement.”

“But I gave a statement last night,” Lup replies. “When the first responders arrived.”

“I know, but not just for last night, for this past week,” he says. “Edward and Lydia are trying to implicate you in tampering the backstage systems.”

“What? No—_ what? _” Lup asks. She arrives at her stop and nearly trips on her way out. She starts to to jog towards that part of campus. “I’m on my way!”

“Okay,” Lucretia says. “I’ll keep you on call, Angus is trying to contact Taako right now.”

“Taako better hope he gets there before me," Lup declares, loud enough for every student within walking distance to give her a wide berth. "because they’re gonna need the whole militia to stop me from getting my hands on him!”

* * *

As Magnus, Merle, and Taako grab a sandwich and a drink each, Taako’s phone pings with a text message. He checks it, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

**AngoDango: You’re going to need to go to the campus administration building, sir. Asap**

**FromTv69: what’s all the hubbub about lil man?**

**AngoDango: The damage to the theatre is being attributed to you, sir.**

**AngoDango: Well, to Miss Lup, who you were disguised as. **

**FromTV69: ANGO WHAT THE FUCK**

**AngoDango: Me and Miss Lucretia are doing our best to clear her sir. If you can, bring the camera you got from backstage. It might help.**

“I have to fucking go!” Taako yells, shoving his sandwich and beverage into Magnus’s hands. Magnus and Merle both start at his sudden outburst.

“What? Why?” Merle asks.

“I fucked up!” Taako yells, and charges out the door.

* * *

After what feels like a long walk through campus, Lup gets to the administration building. She spots Hurley standing outside, in uniform. The halfling woman perks up when she sees Lup coming up the steps.

“It’s kind of a mess in there,” Hurley says, motioning for Lup to follow her inside. “As soon as Sloane caught wind of the whole thing, she nearly caused a scene. She went for a ride around town on her bike to cool off. The captain and I came to mediate until we could get further backup.”

“Yeah, uh,” Lup says, following her down a bright, tile hallway. “I appreciate you escorting me, Hurley. But mind telling me exactly how this ‘mess’ came about?”

“Right,” Hurley replies. They enter an elevator and head up to the second floor. “From what we know, the manager of the repair crew claimed that the damage backstage was caused by deliberate tampering, which had to have occurred this week. The theatre had just passed full inspection just this past weekend. Early this morning, theatre management was able to provide security footage that shows a number of people moving in and around the theatre, during the time when it wasn’t operational.”

As Hurley explains the situation, they exit the elevator, and she pushes open the door to the first available office. Lup peaks in, and is immediately greeted by Captain Captain Bain of the Neverwinter militia, Lucretia, seated in a chair by a large desk, and Edward and Lydia, standing leaned against a wall opposite the open door.

As soon as Lup’s eyes land on the twins, she feels her face heat up with anger. Lydia turns her face away, keeping her eyes fixed on a monitor screen on the desk. Edward avoids Lup’s gaze for just a second, before putting on a dazzling smile.

“So happy you could join us, dear,” He says, standing up straight. “We were just discussing the conversation we had yesterday.”

“You mean the one where I told you to back the fuck off?” Lup asks, moving toward them. “Or do you need a reminder?”

Captain Bane interjects, while putting up a hand. “Ms. Taaco, if you could, please give an account of what you were doing yesterday morning—”

“Is this about Taako’s dumb stunt?” Lup asks, shifting her attention away from the twins to the captain. “I thought this was about the damage to the theatre?”

“It _ is _ about the damage to the theatre,” Lydia adds, now looking up to face her. “And there is evidence to show that _ you _ did that, Lup, during our lovely conversation.” 

“That was Taako you spoke to and you know it!” Lup replies, absolutely baffled. 

“Oh?” Edward asks. “Well it certainly _ looked _ like you. The theatre typically keeps very sparse security, especially towards the back end. But it just so happens that not only did your visage appear on camera, but our new system—state-of-the-art, I might had—was able to track you as you joined us for a visit.”

Lup turns to Lucretia. “Where is Lucas? Wasn’t he in charge of tech?” 

“I don’t know where he is,” Lucretia replies, her own voice tight with frustration. “If I knew, I’d have him here, explaining all this. He knew the systems back to front. But he hasn’t answered my calls, my emails. I’m worried.”

“And Angus?”

“Detective Mcdonald just left to visit the downtown forensics lab before you arrived,” said Captain Bane.

Lup looks back at Edward and Lydia. Their expressions are calm and cold. She asks, “Why the hell would I want to sabotage the BoB? Lucretia worked too damn hard to organize that show!”

“Not the Battle of the Bands,” Lydia replies. “But did you want to stop the Rave. Damaging the venue would do the trick.”

“There were _ tons _ of other people moving on and off that stage,” Lup says. “The timing of the fallout last night was too convenient. Your gig is on the roof! You probably could have held it whether the auditorium was available or not. And even if Taako did fuck something up, he wasn’t cognizant because of whatever the fuck _ you _ two did to him!”

“And what proof do you have of that?” Edward asks.

Right as Lup tries to respond, Taako bursts into the office, ready to throw down with anyone. As soon as his eyes fall on the twins, his hands crackle with arcane energy. He shouts, “Listen, I don’t know what these dipshits said or showed you, but everything about this has to do with me, not Lup!”

“Thanks, dingus,” Lup says, grabbing his arm before he actually throws hands.

“So are you openly admitting to damaging the theatre?” The captain asks, concerned.

“Hell no,” Taako says, pointing at Lydia and Edward. “These two chucklefucks used some weird magic wristband to brain wipe me or some shit. I had no clue what happened during that time.”

“Then how can you be so certain you were involved?” Captain Bane asks.

“Ask Ango,” Taako says. “He saw me and Edward enter the back, only I never came out because they wanted to keep me under wraps for who knows what reason.” 

“Detective McDonald has already given his account.” The captain interjects, once again. “He has made clear the circumstances of his own investigation at the time.” He rubs his brow, a bit put out from all the yelling. “That said, I ask all of you to please leave the questioning process to me.” He gestures at Taako. “I believe there was one more camera procured from the theater, just before the incident?” 

“Oh, right,” Taako says. He reaches into his backpack and procures the small camera from the night before. He sets it on the captain’s desk, and Captain Captain Bane nods agreeably.

“This camera will be taken into evidence, as well as everyone’s testimonies. Taako, we will start with you.” He then looks over at Hurley. “Lieutenant, if you will, please escort everyone to a waiting room. Give them a chance to cool down.”

“Yes sir,” Hurley replies. “Lup, Lucretia, come with me. I will escort Edward and Lydia in a moment.”

“Oh, wait, before we’re separated,” Edward says, and looks at Lucretia. “Fortunately the incident is not _ ir_redeemable, it will be fully repaired by tomorrow evening. Even more fortunate is that the elf student council has a proposition for the Director of the BoB.”

“A proposition?” Lucretia asks, narrowing her eyes.

“When it all comes down to it, your event is pretty much cancelled,” Lydia says. “But our event will still be going. Therefore we, the president and vice president of the student elf student council, will host the last round of the BoB at the Wave Echo Rave. A late showing, but one that will go out with a bang!”

“Besides,” Edward adds. “The lead singers of both final round bands are elves. There’s proper representation!”

“I think I’m going to throw up in my mouth,” Lup says.

“The Battle of the Bands is an _ open _ event,” Lucretia says angrily. She rises from her seat. “Isn’t the Rave elves and ‘selected parties’ only?”

“No longer!” Lydia says excitedly. “Thanks to some healthy investments—provided by Rhiannon, Felicity, and Lord Artemis Sterling himself—we’ve been able to secure spacing at the Neverwinter Theatre rooftop, the auditorium—once repaired, and even have a pop up show in the theatre parking lot! Really, the amenities available are limitless.” She looks Lup straight in the eye. “And it’s all thanks to your charming help.”

Lup does not respond, but she shakes her head like she very much wants to say something.

“Can we please just to the questioning and go?” Taako asks the captain, stepping between Lup and the others. “I _ cannot _ stay in this closed space with these assholes. We have classes, and a rehearsal later.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that, my dear,” Edward says. “Damaging a city landmark and endangering the lives of hundreds of people is a serious offense.” He looks at Lup. “You can kiss that little fall concert of yours goodbye.”

Lup’s eyes run cold. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Word tends to travel fast,” Lydia replies. She waves to them as Hurley pulls Lucretia and Lup out the door. Taako watches them go with just the slightest look of concern.

As soon as they are a bit of a ways down the hall, Hurley takes the two women aside and asks, “You guys doing okay?”

“No,” they both say, and look at each other. Their expressions are equally grim.

Once they are in a waiting room to themselves, Hurley goes back to lead Edward and Lydia to their own waiting rooms. Lup pulls out her phone. There’s a line of email and text notifications. One from Leon, marked urgent. She braces herself to go through them, knowing they’ll probably bear news that she really doesn’t want to hear right now.

* * *

It feels like forever before they’re all released from questioning, definitely a few hours into the afternoon. Lydia and Edward go on to their classes without another word to the bunch. Taako waits in the front lobby for Lucretia and Lup to finish with questioning. All three of them pause once they reach the front door, reeling from the cold of the outdoors.

“Well, _that_ was quite the shit show,” Taako mutters. He looks over at Lup, expecting a witty response. But instead, he sees her with her hand over her mouth. She stifles a sniffle or two, before a stream of tears starts rolling down her face. She looks away from him and attempts to wipe her face with the back of her free hand.

“Lup?” Taako asks, a bit softer.

“I’m going home,” is all she says, her voice clearly choked up.

Taako raises his arms to reach out to her. “But...we have dress rehearsal.”

“_You _ have dress rehearsal,” she says, turning to face him. He can see now that her eyes are red and angry. She gives her phone a little shake. “_I’m _ currently suspended. Thanks!”

“What—”

Lup rushes down the steps, not bothering to look at Taako or Lucretia as she hurries away. Taako stands there stunned, not knowing what to say. He glances over at Lucretia, who just looks at him all sad.

“I...have to go to class,” she says. She starts to make her way towards a different building. 

Taako stands there, running his hands through his hair, feeling like he’s just been crushed by a washing machine’s worth of problems.

* * *

Taako goes to Kravitz’s office. The building is practically empty, and hauntingly dark for midday. But that’s how Kravitz tends to roll. As Taako approaches, he can already see the light still on from down the hall.

Instead of bursting in, loud and unannounced, he lightly taps on the doorway, and inches the door open. Kravitz glances in his direction, and sits up at his desk. His workspace is slightly less messy than usual. A pen is tucked behind his ear, and his definitely not nerdy glasses are somewhat ascue on his face. 

“Mind if I come in?” Taako asks, already halfway in.

“Of course not,” Kravitz says, rising from his seat. Taako walks up to him and wraps his arms around him. Kravitz leans his head on Taako’s shoulder and asks, “Get any sleep last night?”

“Fair less than ideal,” Taako replies. “How’s work stuff coming along?”

“Coming along,” Kravitz replies, and his tiredness is evident in his voice. “It’s been a bit...rough, especially in the last few weeks. 

“Sorry for adding to your plate,” Taako says, his voice muffled from their close embrace. He reaches up and rubs circles into Kravitz’s shoulders.

“No, I don’t mind at all,” Kravitz replies. “But Lup and Barry have been a help, really. I’ve had a lot of fun hanging out with you and your family. You’re a healthy distraction.”

“Sap,” Taako says, still holding on. And then they’re both really quiet for a while, only for Taako to eventually break the silence with, “I really fucked up. Big time.”

“How so?” Kravitz asks.

“My stunt at the theatre the other day,” Taako continues. “They’re claiming cha’boy—not in his own right mind, I might add—destroyed the rigging system backstage, and they blamed it on Lup. Now Lup’s in trouble, and Lucretia’s a mess because the BoB’s ruined.”

And then Taako stops talking, because the words are too hard to come out. He doesn’t say anything, as Kravitz’s fingers quietly twirl around the strands of Taako’s hair. And he doesn't say anything as Kravitz gives him one more squeeze and pulls back, and the look on his face is like an open book, steady and soft.

“That’s… a lot,” Kravitz says. “Have you eaten at all today?” 

Taako shakes his head.

“Then let’s get lunch first, because honestly, I haven’t either.”

Taako makes a face, then laughs a bit. “We can’t both be disasters.”

“Well, if it’s a competition, then you’re winning,” Kravitz says. And Taako makes a noise of protest at that, but leans forward.

“Thanks, babe,” Taako says, giving him a quick kiss. “I owe you one.”

“I agree,” Kravitz says, but his voice is cut with a smile. “But really, who’s counting?”

“Cha’boy is,” Taako replies, and grabs on of Kravitz’s hands. “Lunch is on me, babe. Let’s bounce.”

* * *

6:00pm rolls around without solace or fanfare. Taako meets Magnus right outside the Eversummer Auditorium for dress rehearsal. Magnus makes a questioning look at Taako, but Taako doesn’t bother to answer. He just keeps gaze fixated on the tile flooring as they both enter the building. Everyone is a bit listless. Half the participants were performers at the BoB. The other half were in direct attendance. Taako doesn’t even bother to unpack his stuff. He just sits down and stares at first chair, as if expecting Lup to come in at any second and take her seat. Lunch with Kravitz definitely lifted his spirits a bit, but not seeing his sister here seemed to bring all that back down.

“Before we get started,” Leon says, from the conductor's stand. “I have an announcement for you all, and I’m afraid it’s a bit on the unfortunate side.”

The class listens intently, barely able to take the idea of even more bad news.

Leon sighs and announces, “Lup will not be concertmaster for the performance.”

“No,” Taako whispers, then says louder, “Fuck this!”

“Now hold on—” Magnus says, a bit more cognizant to Leon’s words.

“But she’s First Chair!” Johann yells, for probably the first time in his life. 

Leon says, rubs both his temples, before opting to wrap his baton against the side of his music stand. “Now, now. I apologize for the late notice. The School of Music is just as objectionable to this turn of events. But the Neverwinter Militia has been in contact with University Administration, and until the chaos at the Neverwinter Theatre has been sorted out, the Music board—in good conscience—cannot allow a student under suspension to perform at the concert.

“What the fuck!” Killian shouts, looking ready to hurl her bassoon out the nearest window. And as the announcement settles, everyone else gives a round of loud, dissenting opinions. Pencils fly into the air. A couple of people blow their trumpets in objection. There is no one there to quiet them down. Taako feels his chest ball up in a knot. He rises from his seat and picks up his stuff.

“Taako,” Leon groans. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not performing,” Taako declares. He slings his backpack on his shoulder. “Lup’s worked too fuckin’ hard for this. I’m not doing this concert without her.”

“Taako, believe me when I say that Lup’s absence from the performance is a great loss to us all—”

“Then let her perform—”

“—but campus administration has already made it painfully clear that if she is the perpetrator for the incident—”

“She is not!” Taako yells. “And I’m not going to stand around and let anyone believe that she is! Adios!” He stomps out of the large group and across the stage

“Then you will receive a failing grade for this class!” Leon threatens.

“Don’t care,” Taako calls back. He starts to walk towards the stairs of the stage, when he hears a rustling behind him. He glances over his shoulder, to see Magnus packing up as well.

“Taako’s right,” Magnus says, in a far calmer tone. “It’s not fair.” He grabs his drums in his big, beefy arms, and starts to follow after Taako.

“Th-then I will have to dock your grade as well, Magnus,” Leon says, his voice expressing in incredulity.

“Cool,” Magnus says. He turns back and gives Taako a big smile. Taako gives him a surprised look, but keeps on walking,

Once they are down the steps of the large stage, they hear, “Wait for us!” And turn to see Carey, Killian, Johann, Avi, and a bunch more students walking out behind them. Leon is still at the conductor’s stand, gripping his baton for dear life and sputtering something fierce. At least half the orchestra has walked off the stage, the other half looking at them with dubious expressions. Taako continues walking out of the auditorium, not stopping till he's fully outside.

“You know you didn’t half to do that,” he says, turning around. “Leon’s been looking to kick me out of the theatre since first year.”

“And leave you hanging?” Magnus says. “Hell no.”

Taako fights down a smile at that. He asks, tentatively, “Were you and Merle able to move stuff out of the art exhibit?”

“We got a few things,” Magnus replies, rubbing the back of his head. “But then Merle started complaining about his back, so we had to stop. We decided to get the rest tomorrow.”

“I can’t believe you plebeians actually lift things when magic exists,” Taako scoffs. “I’ll help you move the rest of it tomorrow. Nothing a levitation spell can’t fix.”

Magnus smiles, “Thanks buddy.”

* * *

Davenport gives Taako and Magnus a ride home in the starblaster. Merle already inside, a heat pad on his back from the strain of improperly carrying one of Magnus’s art projects. On the ride back, Taako braces himself for Lup’s wrath. From the way she was crying earlier, he’s certain that there’s not going to be any fun theatrics to hide behind this time. As they approach the front porch, he can feel the tension mounting in his throat. Davenport and Merle go in straight away, but Magnus and Taako hang back on the front porch.

Magnus peeks through a window.

“Is she in there?” Taako whispers, crouched by the door.

“Living room,” Magnus replies, before ducking down.

“Think I can blink to the stairs before she catches me?” Taako asks.

“No,” Lucretia says, walking up the driveway behind them. Taako and Magnus nearly leap out of their skin at the sight of her. Lucretia has the terrible habit of using her quietness to her advantage. She glances at them both, before opening the front door for herself. 

“No word on Lucas?” Taako asks. Lucretia shakes her head.

“No, but Brian sent me an email detailing a contract with the Elf council to do the last round at the Rave. I sent him a text telling him where he can shove that contract.”

“Nice,” Magnus says, putting his hand up for a high five. She reciprocates, but not with much energy. She looks at Taako.

“We could all use some catharsis about right now,” She says, “So rip the bandage off while it’s there.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” Taako mutters, but he gets up and follows her and Magnus into the house.

Sure enough, Lup is in the living room, pacing the floor. Barry is seated in the armchair nearby, watching her pace. Merle and Davenport are seated on the couch. Lucretia is fixing herself a cup of tea in the kitchen. Lup stops in her tracks as soon as Taako comes through the door.

“Hey, let’s order pizza for dinner!” Magnus says, cranking the rusting hospitality to eleven. 

Lup ignores him completely and stomps over to stand directly in front of her brother. There is a fire in her eyes.

“Look,” Taako starts, throwing up his hands. “I just want to say—”

“I cannot believe,” Lup cuts in, her voice terribly calm. “I can’t believe how thoughtless you can be sometimes.”

“Whoa, wait hold on,” Taako says, glaring back. “Thoughtless? You knew those twins were bad news but you tried to play friends anyway. We both did, and here we are getting our karmic asses handed to us for thinking that getting involved with them was a bright idea. And you want to be mad at _ me _ about that?”

Barry gets up from his seat and corrals Magnus downstairs to the basement, with Davenport following suit. Merle slips past into the kitchen to get some tea with Lucretia.

Lup turns away from Taako and paces back into the living room. “Taako, I get that you were trying to help,” she says. “And yes, I am to blame for a lot of the things that led to this. But I cannot fathom how deeply not okay it was that you didn’t talk to me when you thought something was wrong. How you thought you had to go behind my back to try to fix my problems.”

“Why didn’t you talk to _ me _either?” Taako asks. “I’m thinking my sister is goofing on some clowns but keeping her hands clean. But now I'm learning that you were just making it easier for them to fuck up the BoB!

“I made it easy?” Lup yells, incredulous. “You got fucking possessed! And did who knows what to the theater!”

“So you think I destroyed the theatre?” Taako yells back. “You believe them?”

“I don’t want to think you did it. But yes, since you got fucking caught, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“I got Angus to come with me, plant cameras around the theatre, and get evidence to prove that this whole things was bad fucking news _ before _ the shit with BoB hit the fan. Istus forbid, _ I cared! _”

“Well it sure doesn’t seem like it!” she yells. “Those motherfuckers messed up this huge responsibility that I worked _ so _ hard for. But you’re still acting like this is all fun and games with no strings attached, like you always do, even though I know you, and I know there are so many fucking strings attached!”

“Oh, always?” Taako yells. “Always? Right, Lup! Great, Lup.”

“Shut up, Taako!”

“No, you shut up!”

“This was important to me!” They yell simultaneously.

There’s the sound of a small crash, and everyone stops what they’re doing. Lup and Taako look towards the kitchen. Lucretia is standing by the fridge, her mug of tea having slipped out of her hands and fallen to the floor. Hot tea spills across the tiles.

“Oh,” she gasps. Her hands are shaking. “Shit.” 

Merle immediately grabs the mop from the storage closet. Davenport and the other guys peek their heads up from the basement stairs. The whole room goes dead silent, save for the sound of Merle mopping up, and Davenport leading Lucretia out of the kitchen. Taako and Lup look at each other, both of their faces are bright red, a mix of anger and embarrassment and hurt. They look away from each other, opting to just stand there.

“You know what?” Magnus asks, walking up the steps. “I think I’m better off just picking up the pizzas instead of delivery. Get some exercise in. Merle?”

“I’m right behind ya,” Merle replies. He glances over at Lucretia, who is looking like she might break under the tension. He gently pats her arm and she glances down at him. “Hey, let’s go check to see if they have any of those really good dessert pizzas like last time.”

“I’ll drive,” Davenport says. “Barry, you coming?”

Barry sighs, knowing that the twins need the space. “Yeah, I’ll tag along.”

The five of them brush past the twins, not looking at either of them as they slip on some coats and head outside. As soon as the door closes and locks, Lup turns away from Taako and plops down on the couch. Taako takes a seat in the armchair. They’re both quiet for a while, allowing themselves the time to breathe. They don’t often argue so genuinely, but they don’t like to be too far away from each other when they do.

It’s par for the course when you only have one person to rely on for most of your life.

“You guys worked so hard,” Lup admits, finally. “You guys deserved to win.”

“Us?” Taako asks, looking at her as if she said something crazy. “You worked your ass off for the past three years to be concertmaster! You and Barry are the best damn performers I know, and Kravitz is fuckin’ amazing! You gave us a run for our money. Fuck what Leon says, I don’t want to do the concert without you.”

Lup shrugs. “Johann will be fine in my place for the—”

“No!” Taako shouts. “Fuck that! You absolutely will not!” He shoots up from his seat. He pointed a finger at her. “You are playing second fiddle to _ NO ONE _. Not Johann, not any other violinist, and I’ll be sent to the fucking Astral Plane if I let you ruin MY BOYFRIEND’S potential music career with your sickening humility!”

“W-why did I even agree to do this?” Lup asks, her voice breaking into a laugh. “Get involved with the BoB. Get involved with goddamn Edward and Lydia.”

“Because you thought it would be fun?” Taako asks, sitting back down.

“Yeah, that tracks,” She admits.

They go silent for another moment, both relieved that the anger has passed.

"Speaking of Leon," Taako says. "I walked out of dress rehearsal."

"You what?" Lup asks, gawking.

"Me and half the class did," Taako says with a grin. "They're either gonna have you at the show or not have the show at all."

Lup looks at him with a genuinely heartfelt smile. "What are we gonna do about Saturday then?"

“We’ll think of something,” Taako says.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, but something.”

Lup turns to face him. She extends her arms out. Taako sighs and gets up from his seat. He sits down beside her and gives her a hug.

“You’re such a sap,” he says.

“Yeah,” She replies. “But you are too.”

* * *

It’s not long before the others get back with towering stacks of pizza. They’re all surprised to catch Taako and Lup, curled up on the couch and watching fantasy vines on Lup’s computer. The twins look up at them unexpectedly as they enter.

“Do you get one with Jalapeño toppings?” Lup asks, as they all start to crowd around the living room. Barry sits down beside her on the couch and she turns to lean her head against him.

“We got one,” Magnus says, passing her a box. 

“Sorry about the tea earlier,” Lucretia asks. "I was...stressed out."

“No, we’re so sorry to you, Creesh,” Lup replies. “We shouldn't have yelled like that in front of you.”

“You were right about ripping the bandage too,” Taako admits, before taking a huge bite out of a slice topped with assorted veggies. They all have a bit of a reprieve, just sitting quietly and enjoying pizza. Taako thinks for a minute, then decides to break the silence. “Okay, work with me here, because something’s been stumping me all day. What do elves have that everyone else doesn’t?”

“Long life?” Lucretia offers, confused.

“Yeah,” Lup agrees.

“Swag,” Magnus offers.

“Hell Yeah,” Lup agrees.

“An incredible penchant for holding grudges?” Davenport asks.

“Taako, what is your point here?” Barry asks.

“Okay, we’re long lived, magical shmucks with less self preservation than a whoopie cushion,” Taako replies. “But at the end of the day, we’re not as special as we make ourselves out to be. Which is why is makes no sense that the elf council would make such a big deal about their party being exclusive."

“See, this is why I hate eleven fraternizing bullshit,” Lup says. “Just a bunch of unwieldy chucklefucks who want to snub noses at everyone who isn’t them. We’re not special."

“We’re not special,” Taako says, waving his pizza around. “But we _are_ well known.” He sets his slice down and points at Lucretia. “Edward and Lydia invited people who have big social networks, a lot of reach. It really didn’t matter if they were an elf or not. They just needed a lot of connections.”

“Keep going,” Lup says, slowly following along his train of thought.

Taako gets up from his seat and everyone watches him out of curiosity. “It’s a cultural festival, of course there’s going to be elves, natch. It’s a bougie ass party, of course the most powerful people in Neverwinter are going to be there, natch. But if they were truly trying to keep it exclusive, they would’ve kept the marketing simple.”

“But people were talking about that shit all week,” Magnus says. “Hell, they’re still talking about it.”

“The elf council is obsessed with building a reputation,” Taako says. “Even though this is their first year doing this “cultural festival,” they don’t want exclusivity, they want to draw in as _ many _ people as they can. And _ how _ are they gonna do it? By raising hell, getting people talking—”

Everyone murmurs in unison, “Word of mouth.”

“Word of mouth,” Taako parrots.

“Using that hot goss to stir the sauce,” Lup says, a smile forming on her face. 

"And we'll use that against them." Taako says, pulling out his cellphone. He points at Merle and Magnus. “We’re doing it, we’re performing at the Rave.” The pair do a double take. 

“Wait, we’re wha—?” Magnus asks, mouth stuffed with cheese.

“W-we are?” Merle stutters.

“Absolutely,” Taako says, taking out his cellphone. “I’m gonna call up Edward, and tell him to make sure every single one of his little friends are at the Wave Echo Rave tomorrow night.” He looks to Lup. “Lulu, You and Barry have your radio show tomorrow afternoon, right?”

“Right,” They both reply.

“I need you to promote the shit out of the Rave,” Taako says. “Do whatever it takes to draw attention to that thing, make the word travel fast.” He puts his phone to his ear and starts to grin. “Hold onto your butts, my dudes. It’s going to be the show of the fuckin’ century.”


	18. Music Sounds Better with You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “I know you play mysterious and aloof just to avoid getting hurt. And I know you have reasons for not wanting talk about your past. I want you to know that I don't care about any of that stuff. Because I'm in lesbians with you.” -Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)

Edward’s voice comes over Taako’s phone clear as day. “Hello?”

“Hey, kemosabe,” Taako says. Lup sits beside him, shooting him a very confused look. He makes gestures for her to stay silent, then leans back into the call. “Me, Lup, and Lucretia had a pretty serious talk this evening! And we’ve decided to do the last round of the BoB at you guy’s little party.”

“Wait, I didn’t say I’d volunteer to perform!” Lup hisses, loud enough for Taako to cover his phone with his hand and shush her. Edward, luckily, doesn’t hear her, and instead sounds quite surprised.

“Wait, really? I mean—” Edward clears his throat. “That’s excellent news, Taako! So glad to hear it. Amazing that you were able to talk some sense into your compatriots. I’m sure Lup is just as enthu—”

“Sorry, my dude,” Taako interrupts. “Lup is a no can do.”

“Excuse me?” Edward says. Taako pointedly ignores the strange looks he’s getting from everyone in the room. 

“Yeah, man,” Taako continues. “Mystery of the ages or not, Lup is still the best fucking student at Eversummer. The school of music won’t let her off that easily. You’ll just have to make due with Taako and His Boys for your entertainment.”

“I...see,” Edward says, and there is some definite reservation. That flies away quickly though, as he adds, “Well, I guess that means we won’t have you down as catering?”

“Oh, no no no,” Taako says. “You booked me for catering, cha’boy is catering. Taako doesn’t back out of a food deal and a paycheck.”

“Gorgeous,” Edward replies, perking up somewhat from that. “Well, it’ll be a busy day for you tomorrow, I’d imagine.”

“No kidding,” Taako replies. “Though, before we seal this deal, I do have some...conditions.”

“Hmm. I would imagine,” Edward says. “And they are?”

“My whole crew has to come,” Taako says. “That includes Merle, Maggie, Creesh, Davenport, Krav—”

“Yes, yes, the more the merrier,” Edward agrees.

“I'll do the catering from home and drop it off there. If there's any more cooking to be done, we'll bring our own gear. Your people are _ not _allowed to touch our shit.”

“Whatever, as long as you don’t bring any weapons. This is a public event, standards and all. Anything else?”

Taako thinks for a moment, then says. “We want the charges dropped.”

“Excuse me?”

“For the damage to the theatre,” Taako says, and his voice becomes serious. “None of us trust you within an inch of our lives, but we’re doing this because Lucretia worked too damn hard to put the BoB together. You fucked up our shit, Edward. The least you could do is let me and Lup of the hook.”

There is a moment of silence, and for a second Taako thinks that Edward has hung up. But his voice comes through a moment later: “I’m afraid we can’t do that.”

“Then Taako’s out,” Taako says, and he very nearly hangs up, but Edward’s voice catches on the line.

“Wait,” he replies, a bit exhausted by the conversation. “We can’t just...hand wave the whole incident away, but we’ll see what we can do about getting your sister off the hook. We’ll talk about it at the party, how’s that?”

“Sounds fine with me, amigo,” Taako replies. “Do we have a deal?”

“...I suppose that is a deal I am willing to honor,” Edward agrees. “Rave is at 10. Make sure your crew is there for soundcheck at 8:30. Toodles.”

“Toodles,” Taako mimics, and hangs up the phone. He looks at everyone. “Already fucklechucks, you all better get a good night’s sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

“Taako,” Lucretia says. “I do appreciate the sentiment of your actions, but could you please explain what’s the big plan here? Because I am at a total loss.”

“Ditto,” Lup says. “Just why are we helping Edward and Lydia with the Rave?” Because there’s no way she’s going to let him go through with another idea without knowing exactly what the details are. “More importantly, why did you make it seem like I’m doing the concert when I’m clearly not.”

“Oh, you’re _ doing _ the concert,” Taako says. “We are not giving them the satisfaction of knowing that they hurt you. Also, fuck Leon.”

Lup nods in agreement to that. “Still. I wish we could do both. So you could see my performance and I could see yours.”

“Am I performing at the concert?” Magnus asks Taako. His voice is a little unclear between bites of pizza. “Or am I coming to do the Rave with you?”

“Doing both,” Taako hums. “That’d be a hard trick to pull. Unless….”

“Unless?” They all reply.

“What is the schedule for the fall concert?” Taako asks.

“The music hall opens at 5:30,” Magnus says. “Performance starts a 7.”

“Yes, and ends at 10,” Taako muses. “The Rave doesn’t start until 10, but I have to be there by 7 to get the catering going, and bandmates need to be there by 8:30...I think we can make it work.”

“But Taako, that’s cutting things so close,” Barry notes. “Are you suggesting they just sneak out before the concert ends?”

“Cutting shit close is kind of our deal,” Taako replies. “And yes. We need everything to be as convincing as possible. Maggie, I think I’m going to need you to hang back at the concert as late as you can. Davenport, you should drop me and Merle at the theatre, then go and grab Magnus and Lup before 9.”

“What about me and Barry?” Lucretia asks.

“I could go with Taako to the theatre,” Barry offers. “To help with set up. And, you know, any necessary backup?”

“You get brainwashed once and no one lets you live it down,” Taako mutters, but not with any actual spite towards Barry. “Thanks, Barold. But I'm not sure if your presence would keep the twins at bay or rile them up even more."

“Right,” Lup says, thinking about the look on the twin’s faces at the police interrogation. She wants this plan to work, even if she’s not fully on board with it. Whatever it takes to wipe thought smug grins away.

“Creesh,” Taako says. Lucretia is seated in the armchair near his end of the couch. She leans toward him as he talks. “Are you willing to go to the party and be an attendee?”

“I don’t know, Taako,” Lucretia replies. She looks down at her plate. “I still have to account for Lucas. I haven’t heard from him since Thursday morning, and I’m worried about him.”

“When did you last see him?” Barry asks.

“I always arrive at the theatre first, around five,” Lucretia replies. “Actually, wait, no. Lucas would be there first. He’d do a quick inspection of the wiring and everything, making sure there were no blow outs on stage, then once volunteers arrived to take over stage management, he’d go up to the lighting technician’s office so he could have a bird’s eye view of the auditorium.”

“Wait,” Lup asks. “Where is it located?”

“There’s a box on the third floor of the theatre. I think there’s a hallway adjacent to the rooftop that leads to it. It’s where the lighting and rigging systems are controlled.”

“Who was in the tech box when you were announcing the winners yesterday night?” Barry asks.

“Well.” Lucretia thinks back. “I had taken over announcements, and Brad was on the audience floor, keeping the volunteers moving. Since we couldn’t find Lucas, Magic Brian volunteered to man the tech box.”

“And when you went searching for Lucas,” Lup asks. “Did you personally check the technician’s office?”

“No,” Lucretia says, slowly. “No, I had asked Brad and Magic Brian if they would help me search for the theatre. Brian said he had already checked the topmost floors while Brad and I searched the second and first. He told me he hadn’t seen Lucas anywhere.”

Lup raises her hands into the air and plops them dramatically back into her lap. “The elf council has Nerd Lord hostage.”

“Does this mean we have to rescue Lucas?” Magnus asks, a bit reluctantly.

“If we want someone who can definitely clear me and Lup’s rep, we do,” Taako replies. “There’s no way in fuck Edward and Lydia are just going to drop charges. I just pulled that stunt on the phone to make sure they were serious about us being there. They want us for some reason, and we have to find out why.” He starts to pull up his phone again. “I’m calling Agnes.”

“Doesn’t he have enough on his plate from all this?” Lup asks. “He’s just a kid.”

“He’s the world’s greatest detective, and Taako’s get his money’s worth,” Taako replies. He put the phone on speaker.

“Hello, sir!” Angus’s little voice calls out. He sounds a bit tired after the long day, but his enthusiasm is still there. Everyone kind of buckles under how adorable he sounds over the phone. 

“Sup Mango!” Taako says, immediately coughing to hide any indication that the tone of his voice sounds fond. “Got any good news for cha’boy?” 

“I have looked over the security footage with the Neverwinter militia,” Angus replies. “The backstage camera has difficulty seeing what actually occurred backstage, due to the lack of good lighting. The conversations recorded in the other camera footage might provide help, but we will need a direct account from Lucas Miller.”

“You’re on the same wavelength as us, kiddo,” Mangus says, far too loud given they were already on speaker. “We were just talking about that very thing.”

“Yes, well,” Angus says. “I did a bit of cross referencing with the files kept at the Neverwinter theatre management office. Found a copy of the invoice for the theater facilities being used on Saturday. It didn’t add up with the numbers of the document Miss Lup sent me a while back. The Militia and I have been led to believe that the Wave Echo Rave is being used as a front for something bigger. A lot of investments are pouring in, with no record of where they end up.”

“Oh shit,” Lup says. “It really is a pyramid scheme, huh?” 

“'Fraid so, ma’am,” Angus replies.

“Fuck.”

“That said,” Angus continues. “I’m going to need Lucas’s account, and first hand proof of what’s actually going on.”

“We’re sneaking him in,” Taako declares.

“We are not letting a small child into a college party,” Davenport says, using his captain voice.

“But sirrr,” Angus protests. 

“Davenporrrrrrt,” Taako says, using the same tone. “We need eyes on the inside!” 

“He won’t be at the party,” Lucretia offers. “He can come with me, and we can go look for Lucas. My best guess is that the elf council has been carefully monitoring who’s been going in and out of the theatre. I’ve been trying to reach out to Millar industries, the Eversummer engineering facility, and the honor college dorms. No one’s seen him.”

“So he’s still in the theatre,” Taako says. “Hidden somewhere.”

“Miss Lucretia and I can investigate upstairs,” Angus says. “If anything goes wrong, we can call for help.”

“Nice!” Lup says, she looks at Lucretia. “You got an invite before all this shit went down. And the BoB is your thing, whether Lydia and Edward wanna stamp they’re band over it or not. How about it Creesh, wanna be our mole?”

“And bring about righteous retribution?” Lucretia asks. She starts to smile just big as the twins. Abso-fucking-lutely.”

“Cool, swing by the house around 5,” Taako says. “Dress like you’re ready to impress.”

“Will do, sir!” Angus pipes up and then hangs up the phone.

At that everyone decides to get up from their spots in the living and starts to get ready for bed. Davenport and Magnus start putting away pizza. Lucretia starts to straighten cushions, while Lup stays on the couch, wedged between Barry and her brother.

“Well, we have Angus on board,” she says. “You wanna rope your boy in too? He’s just as involved as the rest of us.”

Taako frowns. “I don’t know if he’d be down.”

“Aw, that’s cute that you care about your boy’s feelings Ko,”

“Yeah, well…” Taako doesn’t know how to follow up on that. Any other day he’d have a tease, primed and ready. But now he’s just feeling sappy all over again. “I think he’s had enough of my big idea for one day.

“Are you so sure about that?” Barry asks. “Try ringing him up anyway.”

“Yeah,” Lup says. “He’s got chaotic streak of his own. Might wanna get into the fun too.”

Taako takes Lup’s advice to heart, with a well worn blow of a raspberry (because he can’t let her have credit for every good idea between them). He makes one last phone call of the evening and waits patiently for it to pick up.

“Hey Taako,” Kravitz voice says, clear as day. “You doing alright?”

“Yeah, your boy is good. Look, I know it’s late late notice, but do you want to be a part of a hairbrained scheme?”

There is a pause. Taako runs a nervous hand through his hair. He knew this was a bad idea, and the pointed look from Lup and Barry really isn’t helping right now.

However, a second later, Kravitz cuts through a portal into their living room. Lup and Barry shoot him a look of shock. Taako looks just as surprised, with a bit of elation.

“Why do you drive a car if you can just do that?” Barry asks.

Kravits starts, “Sometimes I—”

“—Sometimes he forgets,” Taako finishes. He catches the smug look that Lup shoots at him and winces. That wouldn’t be so bad, if it weren’t for the equally adoring faces of his various other housemates as they mill around the house. Taako hand waves them away, then gets up to grab Kravitz’s hand to pull him into the couch. 

Their household couch is big, but four people is kind of a lot. Taako and Lup get somewhat squished in the middle—which Lup immediately remedies by scooting onto Barry’s lap.

“Hey, Ghostrider.” Lup asks. “While you’re here, you wanna sleep over? It’s a lot easier planning spy shit when the gang’s all in a secured location” 

“Um, before we get into that,” Kravitz says, shooting Taako a curious glance. “Would anyone mind?” Kravitz asks, glancing at everyone.

Taako rolls his eyes. “You’re too fuckin polite. It’s be irritable if it wasn’t charming.”

“So you think I’m charming?” Kravitz replies, playfully. There’s a terrible glint in his eyes.

“I think you’re a prick,” Taako replies, and then gives him a loving squeeze.

* * *

Taako’s glad that Lup asked Kravitz to stay. 

Once they explained that they sort of had a plan going, Kravitz was fine with getting involved and sleeping over. He dipped through a rip to his own apartment and came back with an appropriate change of clothes. Taako was amazed by how easy it was to get Kravitz on board. A few carefully placed kisses (with a resounding yell from Lup to get a room) definitely helped sweeten the deal.

Kravitz probably would’ve done it anyway, but Taako’d already asked a lot of him. Everyone’s asked a lot of him lately.

As they squish into Taako’s cavernous bed, and settle comfortably between pillows, Taako wants to ask Kravitz to stay for breakfast. And lunch and dinner. And maybe overnight again. And also maybe to stay a bit longer. To just stay and not leave and maybe be cool with that. A part of him feels like Kravitz would stay, if asked.

“You have a ukelele?” Kravitz says, offhandedly. He’s leaning over the bed to turn of the little night lamp left illuminating the room. He motions as the small, stringed instrument, resting near the foot of Taako’s bed. He nonchalantly reaches down and strums a string. He doesn’t say anything further, having only made the observation. Taako appreciates that about him, that Krav would only prod in his business if Taako was willing to divulge. 

“Yeah thug, I do,” Taako replies. “Wanna hear me jam out? Just before we sleep”

Kravitz smiles. “I’d be honored.”

“You’re not gonna judge too harshly, are you?” Taako asks, coy. But deep down there’s a bit of seriousness. “I seemed to recall a pretty critical review coming from you not too long ago. Also, we’ve improved like, a fuck ton, so really you should watch your mouth.”

“Considering it’s not everyday that I get to be serenaded,” Kravitz said. “I can temper my sensibilities for the sake of the occasion.” The smile on his face is warm, like a sunbeam. Taako resists the urge to completely melt because of it.

“Sap,” he whispers, leaning over to kiss him, and strums a lazy chord.

* * *

Saturday morning starts bright and early.

Taako and Lup are the first two up, preparing an extravagant breakfast to get everyone started on the right footing. Everyone pours into the dining room, admiring the beautifully plated pancakes, fruit bowls, eggs and bacon, and various breakfast beverages.

While they’re enjoying their food, Taako transmutes perfect replicas of the wristbands given to him, Lup, and Lucretia. He hands one to each of the women.

“What did you do with the old ones?” Lucretia asks, eyeing hers dubiously.

“I destroyed it,” Lup adds. “I burnt it up after that whole ‘disguised as me’ deal.”

“These mockups really just regular slips of bright paper,” Taako assures. “They’ll tear off far easier than whatever the fuck Lucas designed. The bastard.”

“We have three goals here,” Lup says, using her serious business voice to address everyone. “1.) Make sure that as many people go to the rave as possible. Too many people, more than they have the infrastructure for.”

“I’ve texted to everyone who walked out of the dress rehearsal yesterday,” Magnus says, because of course he has everyone’s contact info. “They all said they’d show up for the concert and down for whatever biz we got going on.”

“I sent a bit of a message through the grapevine,” Merle said, smiling through his pun. “A lotta pannites are huge fans of parties. Gotta rack up those points somehow.”

“Bless you boys,” Lup replies. “ 2.) Figure out what the fuck Edward and Lydia are hiding under neath the trappings of their party and stomp that shit out.”

Lucretia pours over a list written into one of her notebooks. “We have to break this down by the hour, because things will get rushed further into the evening. We’re going to need timers, soundboards, extension cords, and a lot of duffel bags.”

“I’ll give you guys are ride to the theatre,” Barry says. “So Davenport can hang at the concert.”

“And I concert or party?” Kravitz asks.

“Oh, you’re definitely concert,” Taako says with a grin. “I’ve got an idea for you: What do you know about conducting?”

Kravitz face goes on a journey from confusion, to worry, to doubt, to intrigue, and then to amusement. Taako can’t help but smile back at the silly grin on Kravitz’s face. It seemed to seal the deal on his involvement.

Lup continues on, waving a hand in front of the two lovebirds. “And 3.)—And this is most important, so listen carefully—have fun guys!”

Taako raises his glass of orange juice, which looks as though it’s been eerily transmuted to key lime gogurt. “To the Astral plane with Lydia and Edward!”

They all share in the toast, raising their glasses and coffee mugs to the sky. “To the Astral Plane with Lydia and Edward!”

* * *

Everyone does their part beautifully. Once one o’ clock rolled around, Lup and Barry go on air, reaching out to every nerd, goth, nerdy goth, and gothic nerd to promote the Rave. Lucretia organizes a game plan with Agnus, for sneaking in and around the theatre. Kravitz goes home with a folder containing the sheet music that they’re going to perform at the concert. Lup has lent it to him for practice.

Taako aids Merle, Davenport, and Magnus (with much complaining, despite the use of a helpful levitation spell) to load the rest of Magnus’s exhibit out of the student art gallery and into the starblaster. They deposit it all at Julia’s place, since the house had been transformed into a workable base of operations for the gang’s plan. They hold onto the bell ringing contraption, keeping it in the back of the starblaster.

It gets close to 4:00pm when they all regroup.

“Okay,” Taako says, pulling a tray of steaming hors d’oeuvres out of the oven. It was the fifth tray of a seemingly endless amount of food. Lup assists with plating and placing them into the catering trays. Barry covers everything in foil and plastic wrap. Davenport monitors the entrance to the kitchen to keep Magnus from barging in. Magnus sits in the dining room with Lucretia, Merle, and Angus. He stares at all the food with a ravenous eye, waiting for an opening.

“Two things,” Taako says, taking off his oven mitts and wiping his hands. “The first is, how best to fuck up a recipe without ruining my rep as a baller chef.”

“Why do you want to do that?” Lucretia asks, glancing up from her laptop.

“We’re going to need a way to clear people out if shit hits the fan,” Taako replies. “I figured that nothing makes folks run faster than poorly served food.”

“Okay, wait—” Barry says. “What about the mold? You know, the one that was weird in my lab a few weeks back? I did a whole presentation on it.”

Taako pulls a face. “You don’t mean—”

“Oh, you mean this o—” Lup starts to say, as she pulls up her phone. Everyone except her and Barry start yelling.

“Cha’boy doesn’t want to give everyone the idea that he’s working with expired food,” Taako protests. “That’s exactly not this kind of rep I’m going for here.”

“Well, the mold that you see growing on top of something is often just the sign that underneath is often a fountain of bacterial activity.’” Barry notes, like it’s nothing. “And the toxins produced by some molds can survive the cooking process and still give people food poisoning.”

“Fucking disgusting,” Taako says. “I want them to feel sick, not get sick.”

“But...” Barry continues, “That is not the type of fungus that this one is. It’s 100% edible.”

“Wait, really?” Taako asks, hazarding to look at the image, still pulled up on Lup’s phone.

“Yep,” Lup says. She looks over at Barry with a warm smile, because damn, she loves her brilliant boy. “It’s fast growing and ugly as sin, but consumption of it is actually provides a variety of benefits to your health. That’s why everyone at the biolab was going bonkers over it.”

“But the twins don’t need to know that,” Taako says. He glances at the trays of food already cooked.” “What’s a good food to put it on?”

“Salty and sugary foods,” Barry says. “fruits, vegetables, cheese, yogurt, and sour cream. Everything we’ve made so far should do the trick.”

“That’s a lot of dairy talk from someone who shouldn’t be consuming dairy, Barold.”

“Sometimes you must suffer for science,” Barry replies with a shrug. “I can fetch a sample and add it when we start uncovering the trays. By the end of the night, everything will be covered in the stuff."

“Not that I’m not with you on that Maggie,” Taako notes. “But we need a legal option.”

“Considering half his students walked out on him,” Lup says. “At the dress rehearsal, I think the old man might be looking for any excuse to protect his career.”

“I have an idea,” Lucretia offers. “I still have a lot of authority in the music department. If he can let me take over the class, he can let me take over the orchestra program. That way, if it goes to shit, he can have someone else take responsibility.”

“Think that’ll work?” Lup asks.

“If it doesn’t,” Lucretia says. “I could just cast sleep on him and keep him locked up in the office until the end of the show.” 

“Lucretia,” Taako says, trying to fight back a laugh. “I love when you go coldblooded.” He looks at everyone else. “Already gang, let’s suit up!”

* * *

Before he forgets, Taako quickly sends a text to everyone in the orchestra group chat: “THEATRE AT 10:30. DON’T BE LATE!”

* * *

By the time 6:00pm rolls around, everyone is milling about the dressing rooms adjacent to the backstage of the Eversummer music hall. Most of the performers are busy adjusting their suits, making last minute edits to their sheet music, and just generally goofing off.

“Someone broke my g-string, damn it.”

“If one more bass makes a g-string joke, they’re getting choked with their g-string.”’

“If any one other than the flutes starts playing during the intro, I will personally give them permission to beat you up!”

“You wanna throw hands? MEET ME IN THE PIT.”

Killian shook her bassoon at one of the french horn players. “Call it an oboe one more time! I dare you, motherfucker!”

The conversations are briefly cut off, however, when the door to the room swung open, and everyone caught a glimpse of who had stepped in. Taako and Magnus—the former wearing a cream-colored turtleneck and flowing black skirt, and the latter wearing a white dress shirt (without sleeves) tucked into black trousers—are the first to notice the arrival.

“Is that…?” Taako asks, then his eyes go wide. “Barrold???”

“HOLY SHIT!” The entire orchestra yells, swarming around Barry, whipping out their smartphones—that they were discreetly remind by Leon days before to not take them with onto the stage (but these are millennials, let's be real here)—and they rapidly capture photos of Barry standing with his head lowered, blushing furiously. Lup is leaning against him, tears streaming down her face as she tries to keep from keeling over with laughter.

She wears a long black gown with a slit up one leg. Her thick, shining hair is pulled up into a bun and decorated with sparking, star-like pins. Barry however, is dressed in a full suit, complete with—celestial plane forbid—actual black slacks.

“It’s not that big a deal,” Barry protests, but none of the students take heed.

“We may never catch the moment again,” Someone yells. “Not even at graduation!”

“This is a pinnacle moment in faerun history!”

“There’s no way they’re can be real, can it? Like, this is some sort of imposter Barry?”

“Or alternate universe Barry?”

“You gotta explain! What’s the story Bluejeans?” asks Taako. “Or should I say, Barry Blackslacks.”

“Blackslacks?” Barry stutters, and then he sighs. “You know what? Okay. _ Okay. _” Lup is still clinging to his arm and giggling. Her face is practically pressed into his sleeve. He looks at her and his eyes soften. He wraps his arms around her and—despite the odd change in attire—they look very good together.

“Are you moving on to a new era of signature staples?” Magnus asks. “Cuz if you are, I think going with a sleek burgundy corduroy would be an excellent choice for the winter.”

“No…that’s not—” Barry pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“WAIT UP,” Magnus yells. “HOLD THE MOTHERFUCKING PHONE.” He very tenderly gets down on his knees and—with the deft and delicacy of a surgeon—grabs the hem of Barry’s trousers and gives it a gentle yank. “They feel...still like denim.”

To that, the group let out a unanimous outcry of disappointment. They stopped crowding around Barry—much to his relief. Lup was able to straighten up and regain her composure.

“Its was an illusion spell that worked too well,” Lup explains. “I had asked Davenport if he could do it as a prank, but before we could reverse it, we ran out of time.”

Barry looks annoyed, but not enough to actually be mad. “The jeans to turn into slacks when I put them on. If they’re just sitting in my dresser or I take them off, they turn back into jeans. But the moment they touch my legs, _ bam, _ they’re black trousers.”

“That’s one high maintenance illusion spell if you ask me,” Taako muses. “Think you can put up with it until we dip out, Barold.”

“As long as they still feel like jeans, I’m fine.”

“Same old weird Barry.” Taako chuckles. He glances at what his sister is wearing. “Lulu, That neckline doesn’t seem very school appropriate.”

“Your face doesn't seem very school appropriate,” Lup shoots back, before sticking out her tongue.

Lucretia passes through the doorway as they’re talking. She’s holding her signature clipboard, and is dressed in a pale blue gown. She takes a glance at the four of them, is momentarily thrown, and then shakes her head to focus. “Merle is hanging in the wings, davenport said he’ll head for the parking lot before intermission. If we want this to work, we have to get moving.”

“You all heard the lady,” Magnus shouts to everyone else. “The show must go on!”

“What’s the word for Leon?” Lup asks, hesitant to walk out there. Lucretia shoots her a wink.

“He packed up at the first suggestion of a reprieve,” she replies. “He said that as long as there’s actually going to be a performance, he’d be fine.”

They all start to pour out of the room, instruments in hand. In the hallway are two familiar faces. The former is Angus, dressed in a very neat black and blue suit. There’s a magnifying glass sticking out of his pants pocket, and he’s wearing a backpack full of who knows what. 

The later is Kravitz, dress beautifully in a well fitted tuxedo. Angus looks excited, opting to hang in the wings and watch the performance with merle. Kravitz looks more than a little nervous, knowing that he is the last to walk onto the stage. Taako gives him a quick smooch before grabbing his arm.

“This is your show now, babe,” he says with confidence. “Time to shine.”

* * *

The concert goes as most concerts tend to go. Merle and Angus hang out backstage, will the orchestra gathers to their seats. Behind them, a small chorus is already lined up in their seats. Barry takes a seat at a baby grand piano, here to play accompaniment. Because if they’re gonna have everyone involved, they better damn well have everyone. 

Lucretia says a few words to open, and the audience claps. Lup gets up from her seat of first chair—her throne, and the audience claps for her as well—though there are a couple of murmurings. She takes this in stride. Let them be concerned. Let them wonder. She’s got a show do. 

Finally, Kravitz walks onto the stage, the last to enter, unlisted and unnamed in the program. The murmurings are loudest and the clapping is the quietest for him. He takes this in stride, as he turns to the orchestra, waits for everything to settle. He does the count, and then the music starts.

_ Dies Irae e Tuba Mirum _. Music like the world is coming to an end, pours out of the performers, and flows over the crowd. The rest of the concert follows, with occasional breaks for solo performances. 

They follow the suggestions that Lup gave for making the show more entertaining. There is a section were Magnus and Avi pull large drums out to the front and play ping pong on them. Lucretia, instead of sitting in with the audience, sits amongst the orchestra, and makes a running joke of changing seats every time they finish a movement. Taako even has time to shine, picking up each of his various instruments of flavor, and just banging the hell out of them for kicks.

The audience clearly has a good time, laughing more and more with each performance.

But soon as 8:30 hits, the lights go down, dark enough to nearly hide everything. There is hush over the auditorium. There is the sound of a lot of shuffling feet, and instruments getting moved around. After another minute, the lights come up. There are fewer people on stage. 

Kravitz steps away from the stand, and motions over to Lup. She rises from her seat, as well as Johann. They both glance at each other. Violins in hand. Before the audience can fathom what is going on, Lup breaks into a garish fiddle, something quick and vitriolic. Johann does the same, though at a smoother pace. Together, they begin a brilliant violin battle of “The Devil went Down to Georgia.”

* * *

As soon as the lights had gone out, Taako, Magnus, Lucretia, Angus, and Merle made a run for the parking lot.

Davenport is already waiting by the curb, the side doors wide open. They all squeeze in, careful to maneuver around their current instruments, the instruments that have been packed, and the trays of catering. Everyone shares the same dumb smiles as they attempt to account for the lack of space. The door shuts with a satisfying thump and Davenport drives them all enthusiastically towards the theater.

* * *

They act natural. Well, as natural as they can. Taako, Magnus, and Merle slip out of the van. Lucretia and Angus hang back, careful to make sure they are not visible while the boys unload the trays of food. Magnus unfolds a large cart, and the three of them enter the Theatre with some hesitation.

It looks no different. They’ve been there multiple times this week. Now that everything’s been repaired, there’s no fear of any explosions or technical mishaps. However, students dressed in crisp white clothes mill around the theatre. All of them happen to be elves. And they all seem to be carrying boxes. They wear pins on their lapels that read: ESC. _Elf Student council._

Tres horny boys avoid eye contact, carefully bringing the food around the auditorium to the main hallway. Everything is covered, Barry having done his tampering thing at the last minute. The food should look fine within the first hour or two. But after that, the spores will work very, very fast.

They think they’ll make it all the way to the rooftop without being intercepted, until—

“There you are boys!” Lydia voice calls from across the hallway. They all turns and see her, standing in the doorway.

She’s wearing a flattering gold pantsuit and the biggest, fluffiest hot pink coat imaginable over it. Her hair is pulled back into a flowing ponytail, and on her face a giant circular shades. She waves a glittery gloved hand at them and sashays over in pointed heels. 

Taako feels his body tense, but rolls his shoulders and puts on a grin. “Looking flashy tonight, Lydia.”

“The only way to look, darling,” she replies. “You all appear very prim yourselves. A bit plain, but still fitting of the formal occasion.”

“Oh, we’re going to change,” Merle says. “We’ve got all our performance shit out back, we’re just gonna bring this up to the kitchen.”

“Would you like me to send a few hands to help you with that?” Lydia asks.

“NO,” Magnus replies, a bit too forcefully. Lydia steps back in confusion.

“What my compatriot means,” Taako says, trying not to raise suspicion. “Is that we’ve already made an agreement with Edward. We handle all our own stuff.”

“So I’ve been informed,” Lydia replies, with reluctance. She rolls her eyes and turns away from them. “The kitchen is easy to find. Instead of trying to push that cart up the stairs, just take the elevator. It’s down the corridor, on the left.”

“Thanks,” Magnus squeaks out, grateful for Taako’s fast recovery. They quickly hurry to the elevator, and make their way towards the kitchen. Just like before, it’s clean and state-of-the-art. They set the food in the fridges and warmers, then book it back towards the starblaster to go get their band gear. On their way back down the hall, they hear a noise.

It sounds like someone whimpering. They look back and see another door further down the hallway.

“Did you hear that?” Magnus says, walking back towards the sound.

“Mags, we gotta go,” Taako hisses. He and Merle both hang back.

Magnus stops in front of the door and points at it. “Hey, this door says _ Lighting Technician _.” he leans his head on the door. “There’s definitely someone in here. I think it might be Lucas.”

“We’ll let Lucretia and Angus come get him,” Merle says. “For now, we gotta stick to the plan.”

“He hasn’t been seen for a day!” Magnus protest. “What if he’s starving? Or worse?”

Taako sighs, knowing that any misstep could cost them. “Okay. Okay. Me and Merle will go back and get the stuff. You stay here and check on Lucas. Don’t make any sudden noises, and don’t try to dip out of here with him alone. Just check on him and circle back. We’ll send Lucretia and Angus after him when the coast is clear. Okay?”

“Okay!” Magnus says. He carefully twists the door open, and goes inside. Taako and Merle make a mad dash to the elevator.

One they get back to the starblaster, they explain the situation to Lucretia and Angus.

“How are are gonna get Lucas out of there?” Lucretia asks.

“Wait till 10,” Taako says, grabbing his guitar case. “If our plan works, the building is gonna get stormed. Don’t move in until there’s a big enough crowd. The peeps at the door will try to bar folks out. But if all else fails, start firing off magic and riling people up.”

“Okay.”

The boys unload their gear and start heading back into the theatre. By now it’s a little past nine, and a few people are already starting to line up outside. Taako’s blood runs cold as he sees someone of the elf council members putting the wristbands on people. They’re getting the bands from the boxes being carried earlier, and there are a lot of boxes. Taako pushes his feelings away and follows Merle towards the theatre dressing room.

* * *

10:00pm hits. Magnus has joined them both in the dressing room. The growing crowd outside distracts most of the council members, which has helped him avoid detection. 

“Lucas is in a rough state,” Magnus says, changing his shirt. “He was tied to a rolling chair and had his mouth covered. I uncovered it so he could talk.” He puts on a grey t-shirt (ripped at the sleeves), and starts putting heavy eyeliner around his eyes.

“Does he know what’s gonna happen tonight?” Taako asks, braid his hair back.

“He said once enough people show up they’re gonna activate all the bands at once.”

“Activate?” Taako and Merle ask.

“Yeah,” Magnus says. He lowers his voice and keeps his eye on the open doorway. “Said that the bands have a fault in them that can take over someone’s mental state. Said his intention was for them to be tracking devices that could give accurate body read-outs.”

“Shit,” Taako whispers, practically shuddering at the idea that wearing the wristband cost him his agency, even for a short time.

“He didn’t realize it till Thursday, but by then, the elf council got wind of it and stole the remote. He’s been trapped in the tech box since then, and the only one who’s gone in and out is Magic Brian.”

“So we gotta keep an eye out for him too,” Merle notes. He slips a black leather jacket over his white dress shirt. 

“Nah, I took care of Magic Brian,” Magnus says, a grin brimming on his face. “He was there when I walked in. But before he could say anything, I just hit him and tied him up where Lucas was.”

“Did anyone hear you?” Taako asks, his brow knitting with concern.

“Nope, rolled good on stealth for once. Just gotta wait till everyone else gets here.”

Taako slips off the turtleneck, revealing a sparkling black bodysuit. He keeps the skirt on, knowing it’s rather chilly outside. He wraps the purple scarf that Kravitz gave him and checks himself in the mirror. He looks dazzling, but in a way that’s more natural than the looks the elf council are trying to pull.

Once they’re all changed, they grab their gear and head to the roof. As they walk past the auditorium, they notice the curtain on the stage are drawn. There is a very large prjector screen drawn as well. The floor, save for the usual seating, has been cleared away. They glance at each other and keep moving.

On the roof, Lydia is standing by the bar, talking to two more council members in white suits. Edward is also there, dressed in a silver pantsuit with a large green coat, complimenting his sister’s look. He spots Tres Horny boys as they make their way over to the band stand.

Edward bats an eye at Taako’s attire. “Taako dear, I’m loving the outfit, but...isn’t the tight fit running a bit on the side of...desperation?” Taako gives him a once-over with uninterested eyes.

“I’m hotter than you,” he replies, and keeps walking. He can’t see the reeling expression on Edward’s face, but he can sense it just as well.

The “get it together!” that Lydia snaps at her brother, just a bit too loudly, also helps. Taako’s glad he looks good enough to pose a threat, that’s exactly what he wants right now.

As the first couple of guests start pouring in, they start playing a list of songs that Edward had picked out. They’re all boring pop songs, nothing of note. It’s a bit of a drag on the trio, but they’re not here to have fun. They’re here to hold out until the time is right.

Their plan is working though, the night continues with the usual rich and pompous folk. Antonia and Rowan follow Lord Artemis Sterling around as he mills from rich person to rich person. Everyone is wearing the wristbands. The roof becomes more and more crowded. After a time, the “appropriate” guests are left relaxing on the roof, while everyone else gets shuffled down to the auditorium. 

The boys spot Lucretia, and she spots them. She doesn’t make any sudden movements, but she does nod her head, and go downstairs, hopefully to whisk Lucas away. They don’t see Angus, but they figure that’s for the best. The kid is most effective when no one knows he’s around.

The food starts getting served out, and Taako looks on with some satisfaction to see that some of it has already been overtaken by the mold spore. It looks just questionable enough for some of the party guests to respectfully decline. Taako forms an idea in his head that he hopes he’ll get to act on if given the chance.

Once the theatre is sufficiently full, with still a huge crowd waiting outside, Edward and Lydia motion for the band to stop playing. Tres Horny Boys watch curiously as the twins go downstairs with microphones in hand. A moment later, speaker system turns on, and their voices carry throughout the entire theatre.

“Thank you all for coming to the first annual elf cultural festival.” Lydia says gleefully. “Your participation has been most appreciated. It’s a big shame it’s going to be our one and only. You’ve all devoted you hearts to our cause, now it’s time to devote your minds.”

“One and only?” Taako asks.

“Hearts and minds?” Merle chimes in.

There is a clicking noise, and like streetlights, all the wristband light up at one. Everyone at the party stiffens, save for Tres Horny Boys. Their eyes go blank, and their breathing goes from manual to automatic. They look like a hive mind. Beautiful, glamorous, and terrifying.

“Alright darlings.” Edward says over the speakers. “Let’s draw ourselves a couple of circles.”

Taako watches as the crowd rise simultaneously, and begin to pull back the furniture. They form one big circle of people, with a few smaller circles within. Edward and Lydia start chanting something. The crowd begins chanting as well. A well of magic begins to form, first quiet and crackling, then loud and roaring. Some of the people begin groaning, they’re bodies bend forward, as something begins to siphon away their life forces.

There is a different rumbling sound below. Not from the circles, but from the street. Taako breaks from the bandstand to run to the edge of the roof. Merle and Magnus follow suit. Near the front entrance, he can see an even larger crowd than before. They’re putting the front security on edge, making it difficult to block the doors. 

Some in the crowd shouts, “They can’t stop all of us!” The boys recognize that voice. It’s Julia.

“You tell ‘em babe!” Magnus yells down. His face brightens as he thinks of something. “Head to the back! There’s fewer people there!”

Immediately a handful of people break off from the front and start running to the backdoor. The crowd shifts as the building slowly becomes sieged by either side. Further down the road, traffic is getting backup up terribly. People are running from the metro stations to join in.

Taako turns and casts gust of wind on the nearest circle. A few people get blown back, breaking the circle, and disrupting the magic. But the entranced few pick themselves up quickly, and push back into place. Merle casts Guardian of faith in the biggest circle. A giant, beautiful Della Reese appears in the largest circle, disrupting its hold on the people surrounding it. She looks at Merle curiously.

“Hey,” Merle says. “Do you think you could use that huge sword of yours to—very carefully, mind you—cut those wristbands off those people?”

“This is an abuse of my powers, honey,” she replies. “But I’ll do it.” And she, as deftly as possible, swipes at the band one by one. The people step back in a daze, their eyes fluttering as they try to fathom one by one.

Magnus keeps cheering at the crow below, watching as they storm the building at last. Through the speakers, they can hear a mass of voices, and the sound of Edward and Lydia gawking in confusion. It’s a good sound, but the boys know it’s not enough.

They’re waiting for that final curtain call.

* * *

10:25pm hits. Kravitz sets down his baton, turns to the audience, and does a bow. The audience actually claps for him, because—_ fuck _, that was an amazing show. With that, he turns back to the orchestra, who also have risen from their seats. But instead of taking a bow, they all grab at their stuff frantically. Kravitz summons his scythe and rips open a portal, right there on stage. The audience gasps, and a few of the students look hesitant.

Lup is the first to react, grabbing her violin and rushing forward.

“GET IN LOSERS,” she yells, before jumping through. “WE’RE CRASHING A FUCKING PARTY!” 

* * *

At 10:30pm Taako glances over the edge at the ground below.

There is a ripping noise and, right on time, the fabric of space opens up and a crowd of excitable college students with large music instruments run out like they’re ready to engage in battle. It’s difficult to do while moving around, but the orchestra effectively pours into a powerful rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture. 

Taako beams, knowing what section they are in the performance (after having listened to it multiple times since Kravitz first played it for him), and realizing that they truly are saving the good part for last. He beams even wider when he spots Kravitz in the crowd, assisting Avi and a few other students with pushing out a large, dark cannon through the rip. He closes the portal behind them, and immediately goes back to conducting the orchestra. Most people crowded outside are immediately jolted by the loud noise. The rest are further encouraged to push their way in.

Edward is the first of the twins to head back up to the rooftop. He disregards the crowd of people, now free from their bands, and runs to the nearest ledge.

“What. The fuck. Are they doing here?” Edward gasps, peering down at them.

* * *

Lup and Barry break off from Kravitz and the rest of the orchestra and force their way into the building. Once in the auditorium, Barry spots Lydia, continuing the chant that those under the control of the wristbands are struggling to maintain. Her body is glowing, and the project screen behind her flashes necromantic symbols. 

“I’ll take care of her,” Barry says. “You go check upstairs!”

“Alright,” Lup says. “Love ya! Take care.”

“You too,” Barry calls back. He makes running charge at the stage. Before he can cast a spell to reverse the effects of the circle, Lydia is on him in and instant. She swipes at him with shivering hands over dek energy.

He stumbles as he barely dodges away. Around both of them, people are pouring in. Julia leads the charge. Having been informed by Magnus of the situation, she leads a band of woodshop students to go around cutting the wristbands off the people held under the power of the spell.

Lydia is still on Barry, her eyes are venomous. She takes another swipe at him and shouts, “What the fuck does she even see in you?”

Barry doesn’t answer right away, taken aback by the question. For a moment she thinks he didn’t hear her. But then Barry looks Lydia dead in the eyes and smiles wide. 

“She sees a big ole’ nerd,” he replies. 

He claps his hands together, and beneath her feet, a ring of necrotic magic manifests. It glows bright green and shoot violent volts of energy through her.

“Fuck you!” she screams, convulsing from the damage. Barry tries to hit her with another spell, but gets bumped into by one of the many people rushing the theatre. Lydia takes the opportunity for distraction. She teleports away.

* * *

Taako takes the opportunity for distraction. He grabs at a tray full of appetizers and shouts, “FOOD FIGHT!”

The first tray goes right at Edward. It hits him with a wondrous thud. He’s not injured, but his suit is smeared with disgustingly moldy hors d’oeuvres. He lets loose a high pitched squeal, but before he can retaliate, another tray of food goes flying—this time by Magnus. And then another, and another. 

Lup bursts through the rooftop door, ready to throw hands. Luckily there isn’t much to contend with. Magnus rips the speakers away from their wiring, cutting off communication from downstairs The last of the chant stops immediately. Those that aren’t wristbanded go around and start cutting off the ones of those who are.

As people come to, they begin screaming and start hurrying down stairs. Some attendees notice what is going on and also participate in the food throwing. Antonia, Hurley, Sloane, and Rowan grab a few trays of food and book it down to the first floor to incite the same terror there. Some trays go sailing over the roof, and some poor saps down below get covered in gunk as well.

From down below, the overture finally reaches it peak, and the booming sound of a cannon fires off. However, unlike the sound breaker that Lup had described, what fires is a real goddamn cannon.

Shots of fireworks blow off up and around the rooftop. They aren’t big enough to cause damage to the building. But one shot lands on the plush rug on the ground and it bursts into flames. More people scream and move out of the way.

Some of the council members try to rush down the stairs, but another gust of wind hits them, and a second later, Lucretia—along with Angus, and a very drained looking Lucas Millar—make their way up the stairs. They all look grossed out.

“We had to get through a wall of insects to get to Lucas,” she shouts. Angus flicks one last spider off his shoulder. “Magnus! Why didn’t you cover Brian’s mouth when you tied him up?”

“My bad!” Magnus says, with a shrug.

Edward is alone, backed up against the edge. Almost every council member has run away, save for the ones that have been handedly knocked out by Magnus. He’s messily scrapping the food off himself, and glaring up at Taako. Before he can cast a spell and retaliate, Merle trips him up with a whip of vine, and he falls hard on the concrete floor.

“Fuck you bastards,” He says, struggling to his feet. “You think your hot shit—”

“We are hot shit,” Taako and Lup both say. The glance at each other, recognizing that either are there. 

“We were going to take the life force of half the city,” Edward says. “We were going to rule the fucking world.”

Taako walks up to Edward, hands churning with unfathomable arcane energy. “The world’s pretty fucking small, my dude. You really ought to think bigger.”

Lup is about to join in the ass kicking, when a burst of ice hits her in the side and knocks her into a nearby table. She groans from the impact and looks up just in time to see Lydia standing over her. Taako spins around to check on his sister, and Edward uses the chance to leap at him.

Instead of fighting with magic, Lydia opts for grabbing Lup by the fabric of her gown and kicking her in the gut. Lup doubles over, and Lydia uses her weight to knock her down. 

“Lup!” Taako shouts. He kicks at Edward, hitting him in the shin, Edward falls to one knee and Taako takes the chance to cast Otto’s Irresistible Dance.

“Thanks for inviting us to your ball,” Taako says, cracking a smile. “Now let’s see if you got any actual moves.”

“Fuck!” Edward shouts, as he immediately begins to move his arms in the fashion of the Macarena.

Lup is constrained in the long dress, and finds it nigh impossible to flip back over. They’re dangerously close to where one of the fireworks has blown a hole into the wall of the rooftop. Lydia practically drags Lup toward it, her hands crackling with necrotic energy.

“If our roles were reversed,” Lydia breathes. “You’d probably pull me back up if I were about to fall. Wouldn’t you?”

“Maybe,” Lup gasps, trying to bite back the burning of her lungs. “I’d try.”

Lydia sneers and pushes her closer to the edge. “I told you being nice would hurt you.”

“You did,” Lup coughs. She hears another fireworks go off, and stops trying to fight. “But I’m not the one who’s gonna continue to hurt.” She reaches out towards the flaming explosive as it whizzes by. With spell sculpting, she yanks it back, causing it to strike Lydia directly, and sends her skidding across the tile of the theatre.

Lup rolls over immediately, pulling herself away from the broken ledge. She can feel all the scratches from all the wrestling on the concrete. But she’s not too bad. Lydia, on the other hand, lays unmoving on the ground. The impact was enough to soundly knock her out, her side looks badly burned.

Edward goes down not too soon after, after having danced too hard to conjure up any more spells. He two steps exhaustively to the chaotic orchestral music, until he passes out. Even then, his limbs continue to convulse as if bewitched by some strange tune. His face is coated in gunk and sweat.

“Fuck,” Lup exclaims, attempting to get up. Barry rushes over to help her to her feet. She puts her weight on him and holds him close, glad to have him there with her. “Babe, I love you so much. That took way too damn long.” 

“You’re telling me,” Lucretia replies, leaning against the bar counter. Davenport goes about, pulling up chairs for the rest of them to sit down and have a breather.

Taako feels kind of like he’s in a daze. The rooftop is a mess. Every where is a mess, frankly. He can hear the sirens of the Never winter militia approaching. He’s probably going to get interrogated again, for the second time in a week. The theatre has taken on way more damage than it did before.

Boy, it’s been a long week.

But that’s fine. Because he can hear the laughter between his friends at they point each each other’s ruined clothes. He looks on as Angus get's a statement from Lucas, who is seated tiredly on one of the messy couches. After a minute or two, some of the militia come upstairs, and Angus makes sure to direct them towards taking Lydia and Edward—neither of whom have enough energy to protest when they're brought to their feet—and all the other council members into custody. Taako glances over to Lup and Barry having their own little moment, holding onto each other like they’re never going to let go. 

“Merle!” Lup calls from across the space. “I’m exhausted and scratched up! Come heal me!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Merle groans, making his way over there. Lots of people are going to need healing tonight.

Lup looks a Taako, catching his gaze. They smile at each other, happy to know this shit has finally come to an end. Once most of the people have drifted downstairs, it becomes a lot quieter on the rooftop. Taako plops down in a nearby loveseat, and almost thinks of conking out, when another rip appears, and Kravitz steps through. He looks very relieved to see Taako still in one piece. He sits down beside him and curls an arm around his waist.

Taako leans his head tiredly on Kravitz’s shoulder and asks, “Had fun?”

“A lot of fun actually,” Kravitz admits. “We caught the last of the council members trying to flee. Someone got hit with a tuba. The rest of the orchestra is chilling on the front of the steps. I definitely won’t forget a night like this.”

“Hell yeah,” Taako says, raising a fist. “It’s all party time with Taako.”

Kravitz chuckles. “It sounds like Taako is probably in for some sleep right about now.”

Taako makes a sound of protest, then gives up and wraps his arms around his boy. Kravitz is right. And he’s glad he’s right. Taako loves this boy, a lot. And he gonna tell him, just not when he’s sweaty and tired and half banged up from fighting.

“You’re wearing the scarf,” Kravitz notes.

“Yeah,” Taako replies. “Gotta look good for the finale. I'm nothing if not thoughtful.”

“You’re incredible,” Kravitz replies. And Taako feels his heartbeat quicken.

Somewhere between the half truths and half lies and the light jokes and heavy honesty was Taako. Just Taako. Some people managed to work that out through experience. Some through brute force. Some through pure, concentrated kindness. No matter how, those who understood this knew that they didn’t have to always understand him. They just had to roll with it.

And he was—he is...really grateful for that. For people like that to exist.

“This scene is real nice,” Taako says, raising a hand to gently stroke Kravitz’s handsome face. “Too quiet, though. Could really go for some more music.”

“After all that?” Kravitz asks, raising an amused brow. “I don’t think anyone has it in them to play anything for a while.”

Taako looks across the rooftop and spots Magnus’s bell contraption, standing unnoticed by the bandstand. They didn’t have a chance to use it in their performance, but it should still be cranked up.

Taako carefully cast’s mage hand, and the illusory hand reaches out and pulls the lever on the machine. It springs to life, and the sound of the tinkling bells takes everyone by surprise. The small bells ring the melody, and the larger bells ring the harmony. They both make up a song that sounds wonderfully familiar.

It is perfectly balanced. As all things should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right, I ended on a Thanos joke. Been waiting months to pull that one. 
> 
> Oh my gooooosshh. It is complete! Ahhhhhhh!!! Thank you so much for reading and for waiting for this ending. My last two braincells were working overtime to get it complete. I hope you enjoyed it, I hope you found it satisfactory. It's not perfect, but I had so much fun writing it and building it as I went along.
> 
> Each chapter is named after a quote from "Scott Pilgrim vs The World" which is one of my favorite movies. It's also the inspiration of the "Tres Horny Boys have a garage band" idea. It's full of twenty something year olds who don't know what they're doing with their lives. And me, who is currently twenty something, and having no idea what I'm doing with my life. When I initially started writing this, I had planned out 15 chapters, but it ended up going to 18, whoops! I have spent the last four months churning this story on top of working on a million art projects and my brain is SPENT.
> 
> Happy candlenights, everyone! 2019 is almost over! The millennium is moving onward. And all that is ahead is our choice to continue.
> 
> Continue? 
> 
> 10...9...8....7...6...5...4...3...2...1...


	19. Epilogue

“Hey Lydia.”

“Oh, goddammit.”

Lup stands a few meters away from the wyvern stables of the Eversummer Animal Management Facility. She’s wearing a dark blue coat over a black dress and some pink, heart shaped shades. She leans against a pole and gets an eyeful of the view. “Having fun doing community service?”

“Fuck you,” Lydia replies. She’s wearing overalls, heavy work gloves, and rubber boots that are currently sopping in manure. Her hair is up in a very messy bun. It’s been a rainy day, which is good for keeping the animal smells down. But not good for avoiding slippery spots, as the many dirtied parts of her clothes seem to indicate.

“Where’s Edward?” Lup asks, briefly lifting her shades. “I thought you both were shackled with stable duty after you got arrested.”

“He barfed this morning and had to go home,” Lydia mutters. “Weak bastard.”

“Well, that’s what us ladies are here for,” Lup replies. She’s got an iced tea in her hands and is enjoying it immensely. “Gotta do the dirty work.”

“Might I ask_ why_ you came out here, Lup?”

“Figured you could could use the company,” Lup says. She starts shuffling for something in her coat pocket. “You fucked over pretty much everyone on campus. It’s a wonder you guys weren’t expelled. I guess the cases of necromancy students turning to the dark side is a lot higher than I thought.”

“Why did you even bother to come all this way to talk to me,” Lydia says, letting her guard lower for just a moment. “I tried to hurt you the most.”

“You’re lucky that I’m a very forgiving person,” Lup says, holding up her phone.

“What the hell are you doing?” Lydia asks.

“Oh, nothing,” Lup says, pressing a button. The phone makes a very obvious flashing sound. Lup chuckles to herself as she saves the image. “Heh heh.”

Lydia stops digging and puts a hand on her hip. “Okay, you’ve had your fun, obviously. Are we done here?”

“For now,” Lup replies, tucking her phone back in her pocket. She straightens up and stretches her legs. “Have a productive winter break, Lydia. I might swing by in a few weeks and see how clean this place gets with you and your brother handling it.”

“You can come back and kiss my manured covered ass.” Lydia replies, grabbing her shovel and starting to dig again. After a second or two she adds, “Have fun I guess.”

Lup starts to walk away, flipping the bird in the process. She can’t help smiling as she does.

* * *

“Merch! Merch! Merch! Merch!” Taako, Magnus, and Merle shout, pounding their fists, as Lucretia opens up the large cardboard box on the kitchen table.

“It’s the least I could do,” She replies, fiddling with the tape. “Since we had to use the funds from the show to help rebuild the theatre.”

“Who needs fame? I want a t-shirt,” Merle says.

Lucretia opens the first of the packaging and lifts up a t-shirt like it’s baby Simba on the Fantasy Lion King. Everyone claps as they take a look at it. It’s a large black t-shirt that reads “Tres Horny Boys” in large, multicolored, vaporwave-esque lettering.

“Damn that print job came out good,” Taako says, as Lucretia hands them each one.

“I’m afraid they’re all adult larges,” she says. “I couldn’t afford to get custom sizes. But there’s one for everyone in the house, plus a few others we could give to friends.”

“Not large enough,” Magnus says. His shirt is already halfway over his head, the seams a buckling under the stress of his big, beefy shoulders.

“We may have to take two shirts and re-sew them into one Maggie sized shirt,” Taako says, observant.

“Mine’s more of a dress than a shirt,” Merle says, trying his on. He's practically drowning in fabric.

“I suppose we’ll have to make a day of customizing them,” Lucretia says, smiling. “Thank you guys again, you know. For everything.”

“Listen,” Magnus says. He’s taken his shirt off, revealing all his sacred, muscly glory. “Anytime you need some ass kicking, you’ve got us.”

“But not right before finals hit, okay?” Taako says. “Because that shit is bad enough without body possession and acts of vandalism.”

Lucretia laughs. “Right. Next time, I’ll try to keep the world threatening incidents better balanced.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twist! Wanted to add a little more to satisfy the conclusion. Hope you like :0


End file.
